Evaluation of Employee Vaccination Policies in Outpatient Oncology Clinics: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND All major hospital facilities in the state of Utah have employee vaccination policies. However, the presence of healthcare worker vaccination policies in outpatient oncology clinics was unknown. OBJECTIVES The objectives of this article are to identify oncology outpatient employee vaccination policies in Utah and to identify what consequences, if any, are present for unvaccinated employees. METHODS This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study design in which clinic managers from outpatient oncology clinics were asked, via questionnaire, to describe the clinic's employee vaccination policy and the consequences for refusing the policy. FINDINGS Most vaccination policies applied to employees primarily assigned to work in the direct patient care area. Most commonly, influenza and hepatitis B vaccines were required as part of the vaccination policy. Most managers offered free vaccinations to employees, but most managers also allowed employees to refuse to follow the vaccination policy for medical, religious, or personal reasons.