SAN DIEGO, April 16 (UPI) -- U.S. medical researchers said the more time a physician spends with older patients, the great the chance those patients will accept flu shots.
The researchers, at the University of California, San Diego, said even when doctors have standing orders to give flu shots to older patients, they do not do it often enough because of lack of time or adequate staff support, a recent study has found.
The researchers observed 243 patients in doctors' office in San Diego, Rochester, N.Y., and Albuquerque, N.M. They found 38 percent left without a shot. The study suggested each doctor have at least four staff people, a staff person should inquire about immunizations before the exam begins, and the doctor should spend at least 10 minutes with the patient and ask about a flu shot during the exam.
When all four elements are in place, they said, more than 90 percent of the patients studied left properly vaccinated. But all four pieces must be included to make the system work.
