Patients May Be Reading About the ‘5 Vaccines Every Adult Needs’; Be Ready to Provide Them

It likely wasn’t by design, but Prevention magazine just ran an article that could drive countless patients into their nearest urgent care centers in search of vaccines they might have missed getting. The article certainly is blunt about the possible consequences of not getting those vaccines, telling readers that “Vaccines save lives, and not just young ones.” With the guidance of consulting physicians, Prevention lists vaccines for influenza, tetanus, shingles, human papillomavirus (HPV), and varicella as essential for every adult to have. It also explains, in layman’s terms, how they work and the effects the particular diseases can have on the human body. The most impulsive readers will put down the magazine, get in the car, and drive to their nearest immediate care facility (ideally, your urgent care center). Especially now that it’s time to start immunizing patients against influenza, expect to get questions about the safety and efficacy of vaccines, as well as the illnesses they’re intended to prevent. Your willingness to serve as a health educator and public health advocate will serve your patients well, but also your entire operation.