PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR –
August 29, 2021- “Vaccinations are especially important to us because people with substance use disorders are at significantly higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and experiencing severe illness or dying as a result, and death rates are even higher for African Americans who have a substance use disorder and COVID-19,” Dr. Lee continued. “Additionally, infections require contact tracing and additional testing, which can cause major disruptions to operations and patient care. For all these reasons, our vaccination requirement has been the most important step of many we have taken over the course of the pandemic to ensure our services are available to the growing number of people who need them.”
Hazelden Betty Ford’s employee vaccination rate is believed to be among the highest reported among health care organizations.
“We knew early on that having a vaccinated workforce would be essential, so we decided in May to require vaccinations, incentivize them with small prizes, listen to employee concerns, provide helpful information, establish a declination option, develop a documentation process, and communicate often and in a variety of ways about our progress,” Dr. Lee said. “It has been a significant effort, and the approach has worked. We continue to hear gratitude from both patients and team members who appreciate the uncompromising commitment to safety and our mission.”
