From 51% to 100%: mandatory seasonal influenza vaccination.

We believe we are the first union hospital to succeed in mandating the seasonal influenza vaccine for employees and physicians. We relate the process that we used to achieve this success. Our main purpose is to share our success with other colleagues in the health care industry who are facing similar opposition to mandatory vaccination.

Construction: a model program for infection control compliance.

Issue: In the 21st century, one of the most challenging tasks for the infection control practitioner (ICP) is establishing collegiality and trust with contractors, architects, maintenance and engineering personnel. We describe how an urban teaching hospital's infection control program cooperated with contractors during a large demolition, construction, and renovation project in order to protect its large population of immunosuppressed patients.

Project: Most contractors are not accustomed to taking special precautions during demolition.