Flu Shots, Masks, and the Orange Jumpsuit

If you haven’t visited the Credentialing Resource Center website recently, you missed last week’s blog post/call to arms (literally) from William F. Mills, MD, MMM, CPE, FAAFP, CMSL, senior vice president of quality and professional affairs for Upper Allegheny Health System located in western New York. He wrote:

“… It is time again for my yearly rant. It is unconscionable for healthcare workers to put the at-risk population we care for in jeopardy of acquiring a potentially life threatening illness due to our “right” to refuse immunization. I know I just really annoyed quite a number of folks. But remember, I live and work in New York, where a public health law was passed in July requiring mandatory flu shots. So no flu shot, no mask, proceed to jail? Well, the state stopped a little short of that. The law actually doesn’t define the penalty. I guess the legislature is made up of a bunch of cowards. It really shouldn’t be left up to the government to create laws to force healthcare workers to do the right thing. We really need to step up and take control.”