Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Flu shot fiasco

Here we go again.

As had happened in the past, we are not able to get flu shots this year. First the McKesson, our supplier said FDA is not releasing the lot numbers to Novartis, so there is delay. Then there they said all the factories are utilizing the resources to make H1N1 flu shot, so there is delay. Now they are saying, don't hold your breath.

Now we do not have enough flu shots. This debacle happens every few yrs. Chain pharmacies due to mass buying power- Kroger, Walgreen, KMart, Sams all have it. Doctors offices in our town don't have it, can't get it, nobody knows why.

What are the people responsible for the proper delivery of shots to patients doing? They are careless, doing sloppy job of ensuring adequate supplies, not explaining the current situation to providers.

This flu shot delivery system is a disgusting situation.

Yes, I gave up ordering flu vaccine years ago. Many of my patients would go to a pharmacy or some such convenient place for flu vacc leaving me holding vaccine. Now when anyone asks I direct them to health dept or pharmacy.

You'd think as many problems as we've had in the past, and with the looming fear of pandemic, they would finally get it right. But NooOOOooo!

We also stopped offering flu shots to our patients a few years ago when the price spiked, so our reimbursement became less than our cost per dose. You remember, it was those years when the vaccine companies underproduced the vaccine to create a shortage, people waiting on line at fire stations, etc. Like what Enron did during the California rolling blackouts.

If we get the patients to come in as a separate visit for the vaccine only, we can make a small profit by charging an administration fee plus the pitiful vaccine reimbursement. But at an office visit, which is when the patients usually want the shot, it becomes just another cost rolled into the office visit.

Rather than come to the office, our loyal patients simply walked into Walgreens or Costco, and proudly told us that the got the flu shot "free" (since the drugstore charged their insurer or Medicare). I told them they were just chipping away at my ability to keep my office open for when they need real medical care. They don't like to hear that.

joseph2 is completely correct. Then add to that Harvard-Pilgrim covers Tamiflu once every 180 days. Now, if H-P can just get H1N1 and seasonal flu to hit twice a year, I'm all set.

The only patients in my area who suffer are the non-medicare, non-medicaid as most pharmacies only bill them. It is unfortunate, but I do enough charity care with the bad debt in my office that I feel I cannot donate flu shots....

Last year I had to throw several vials away as several patients went to CVS / Walgreens and got their's despite knowing we had it and the cost was similar.

This year I ordered less and we used it all up early.

Very difficult to predict demand year to year.

I also stopped giving most vaccines when the prices jumped and when I got stuck with about a thousand dollars worth of useless flu vaccine which I had to pay for months before it was shipped. That was the year there was a shortage and then the pharmacies and groceries got their supplies long before I. My patients got tired of hearing me say "ours has not yet arrived but we expect it soon" so they went elsewhere. Now I buy just enough to immunize me, my office staff and my family.

Leslie

We get our for free and then make $10.00 per injection.

Bert, why don't you get a whole bunch next year and we'll just buy it from you at a discount?

That sounds perfect. Do you want me to get any bird flu as well?

And, while we are at it, can someone tell America that vomiting and diarrhea is gastroenteritis and not the flu or Influenza. I have finally got to where I can say stomach bug, but I have just about given up. Every once in awhile, I will say stomach flu.