What physicians can do to improve vaccine confidence today

From new vaccines and shifting guidelines to the resurgence of measles, a changing immunization landscape is fueling patient uncertainty. How to build and maintain patients’ trust and communicate new vaccination information clearly have become critical tools of the trade for physicians today.

Nationally, more than 4,400 cases of measles have been reported with more than 1,300 of the cases reported in Pennsylvania alone.

Research has shown trust in health systems, physicians and public health information are strong drivers of vaccine acceptance while confusion, conflicting messages, and misinformation drive hesitancy.

Lessons from recent years show physicians can do more to tackle the confusion and mistrust behind vaccine hesitancy. Writing in Physician’s Weekly, Stephen Parodi, MD, an infectious disease physician and executive vice president at The Permanente Federation, outlined ways to help patients make informed decisions about flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines.

The following is an abridged version of the Physician’s Weekly article (link to full article at the end):

Simplifying messaging around vaccines and preventable diseases

The growing number of vaccine recommendations for influenza, COVID-19, and RSV can create confusion and contribute to vaccine information fatigue, making it harder for patients to stay up to date. Coadministering recommended vaccines during the same visit and using automated reminders from primary care teams can simplify the process, reduce missed vaccinations, and help prevent avoidable hospitalizations and deaths.

Related story: Restoring trust in medicine, one conversation at a time

Helping patients navigate new vaccines

A physician’s recommendation remains one of the most influential factors in a patient’s decision to get vaccinated. That means there’s still opportunity for physicians to share evidence-based explanations on vaccines and why they matter, especially as new technologies, like the newly approved influenza mRNA vaccine, are developed and scaled up.

Physicians should invite questions about medical advancements from patients while providing the tools and evidence to evaluate vaccine options.

Reinforcing the value of vaccines

The modern-day resurgence of measles, a disease declared eliminated in 2000, is a potent example of the value of vaccines and also the danger of falling vaccination rates.

Physicians play a key role in helping families stay protected by reviewing vaccination status, answering parents’ questions, and reinforcing the value of the MMR vaccine. Beyond preventing measles, mumps, and rubella, the vaccine helps preserve a child’s immune defenses, as measles infection can weaken immune memory and increase vulnerability to other illnesses.

To read the entire Physician’s Weekly article, click here.