Cost-consequence analysis of influenza vaccination among the staff of a large teaching hospital in Rome, Italy: A pilot study

Flu vaccination, as well as being effective to prevent seasonal influenza, decreases staff illness and absenteeism and reduces costs resulting from loss of productivity. Despite the effectiveness of flu vaccination, the seasonal coverage among healthcare workers is usually low. The aim of this retrospective observational study was to analyze the vaccination coverage rate among all employees (healthcare workers and administrative staff) of a large teaching hospital in Rome during the 2017–2018 influenza season, to perform a cost-consequence analysis of influenza vaccination (by evaluating the absenteeism due to illness in the epidemic period), and to assess the impact of vaccination in terms of both costs and sick days. The flu vaccination coverage rate was 9.8% among 4631 healthcare workers and 852 administrative employees. The human capital approach estimated a loss of productivity equal to 297.06 € for each vaccinated worker and 517.22 € for each unvaccinated worker (cost-outcome ratio: 120.07 €/sick day). Applying the friction cost method, a loss of productivity equal to 237.65 € for each vaccinated worker and 413.78 € for each unvaccinated worker (cost-outcome ratio: 104.19 €/sick day) was found. These results confirm the benefits of the flu vaccination for the society and the company. This allowed the management to grant one hour of permission to the flu-vaccinated workers in the following annual vaccination campaign (2018–2019).