Back in April, I wrote a piece about the opportunity many practices are missing by not embracing the swine flu issue.  I know it's easy for me to say, of course, but I think pediatric practices should be racing to be the source for providing the swine flu vaccines.  Give this function away and you've whittled away another task from your repetoire that someone else can do.

Anyway, I posted a response to a recent PedTalk H1N1 discussion (you can  read my response here) and I am grateful to Lynn Cramer for following it up with some real data. To quote her:

Just in my 1 and 1/2 hours of triage this morninig

Four swine flu questions resulted in

TWO ASTHMA CONTROL visits w/PFT/seasonal flu vaccines MDI teaching
ONE well visit
and FIVE seasonal flu shots (including 2 parents who pay TOS)

By bringing in patients early (300 FLUMIST and 500 injectable flu vaccines)
given since Aug 5 for payments of > $19,500.00 to date and $4300 in
payments for vaccine product alone! This will give a big boost to the
Sept/Oct payment dip usually related to decrease in well and preventative
visits in Sept

with the swine flu we are first to sign up admin fees are $5.00 to $23.00
each depending on 1st or second < or > 8y

Who needs marketing this winter? patients...are knocking down the door !

Exactly. Just as the complaints roll in about the practices slowing down with the economy, we get the biggest boost I've seen in 20 years and most people want to put their heads in the sand! But not my readers :-)