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Doc videos in patient portals boost pediatric flu shot rates
Patient portal messages that include videos or images from a patient's doctor can boost pediatric flu shot rates by up to 3.9 percentage points.
Healthcare providers could have another tool in their arsenal when it comes to pediatric flu shots: the patient portal.
According to a new study in JAMA Network Open, the patient portal is a decent vehicle for engaging parents in getting their kids the flu shot. Particularly, sending parents video messages from the doctor and infographics written by the doctor could compel some parents to have their kids vaccinated.
These findings come as healthcare professionals stare down yet another respiratory virus season, this time with headwinds from an administration casting doubt on vaccine safety and efficacy. Healthcare providers working to support preventive care and vaccine access among their patients should consider their own strategies to directly connect with patients about the shots.
Addressing vaccine hesitancy with doctor engagement
The nation is currently seeing historically low levels of flu vaccination. For the 2023-2024 flu season, only about half (55%) of kids ages 6 months to 17 years old received the vaccine. For adults ages 18-49, that rate was 33%, while 46% of those ages 50-64 and 70% of those 65 and older got the shots.
Those figures are a far cry from the 70% goal flu shot rate spelled out in Healthy People 2030, the researchers said, and set the stage for broad flu outbreaks each season.
"A major cause of low influenza vaccination is patient vaccine hesitancy," the researchers stated. "While most people trust their physicians overall, many don't feel that the benefits of an influenza vaccine outweigh its safety and believe that they are not at risk from influenza disease. Vaccine hesitancy may be increasing since the COVID-19 pandemic. Strategies built on trusted messengers, such as physicians, are needed."
Some previous research has found that patient outreach strategies ranging from direct text or patient portal messages to public awareness campaigns can be effective, but that efficacy is waning, the researchers said.
This latest study looked at more tailored or direct patient engagement and outreach -- video messages from doctors.
Doctors' video messages might drive pediatric flu shot rates
The researchers tested the effect of video messages recorded by the doctor and sent via the patient portal to both adult (14,704 people) and pediatric patients (3,200 kids). The videos were recorded on a smartphone or a device of the provider's choosing and guided by a script clinicians could read aloud.
The team also tested the effect of doctor-endorsed infographics crafted with the same messaging included in the video script. The infographics featured images of the doctor to signify the doctor's endorsement.
While both approaches yielded little result among the adult population, they did have an impact on pediatric flu shot rates.
Among families receiving the video messages, flu shot rates went up 3.9 percentage points. Among families receiving the infographics, rates went up 0.6 percentage points.
The researchers did not have an explanation as to why the doctor-endorsed messages were more effective among the pediatric cohort. However, it does stand to reason that parents or caregivers might be more receptive to messaging about vaccines for their kids or more willing to overcome the common vaccination barriers for their kids than for themselves.
Notably, the video and graphic messages improved the rate of timely vaccination across the entire study cohort, regardless of age. This could be an important finding, the researchers said, as it is important for individuals to get their flu shots at least two weeks before flu season peaks in January in the U.S.
Advances in flu vaccination will be critical as the medical industry contends with mounting vaccine hesitancy challenges. As healthcare professionals, and especially doctors and nurses, are considered among the most trusted messengers for patient outreach and engagement, including a personal touch from the care team might help move the needle.
Sara Heath has reported news related to patient engagement and health equity since 2015.
