KEYWORD1:
free, flu shots, community, Knoxville, Empty Stocking Fund, influenza, pneumoccal, initiatives, Knoxville Academy of Medicine Foundation

BACKGROUND:
Since 1994 the Knoxville Academy of Medicine Foundation has
sponsored a free flu shot program to the community. A physician member presented the concept to the board as a means of positively impacting the health of our community.

OBJECTIVE:
The objectives for the Free Flu Shot Program are to increase public awareness of the ramifications and complications of influenza; to administer an influenza vaccine free of charge to anyone who consents to participate in the program, thereby increasing the community's immunity; and to raise money for a local charity(The Empty Stocking Fund).

METHOD:
The physicians of the Knoxville Academy of Medicine provide financial support to the KAM Foundation for serum and other supplies utilized in the free flu shot program. Physician practices, churches, senior citizen centers, and other non-profit agencies strategically located across the county serve as vaccine delivery sites. Taking into consideration empowerment zones, the Knox County Health Department has been involved in site selection as well as public education by the provision of vaccine information sheets. Physicians' employees and other community volunteers numbering well over 800 staff approximately 25 delivery sites and administer over 17,000 per year. To promote the event, a media blitz is conducted for approximately three weeks prior to the event, which serves to raise public awareness of the benefits of the influenza vaccination.

RESULT:
In the last nine years, well over 150,000 free flu shots have been administered to Knox County residents and over $600,000 contributed to the Empty Stocking Fund. However, the impact of this mass immunization program on the community's immunity has not been studied.

CONCLUSION:
The Foundation's Free Flu Shot Program has significantly increased the community's vaccination coverage and resulted in greater community awareness of the complications of influenza disease.
LEARNINGOBJECTIVES:
A template for implementing this program has been developed to promote duplication in other communities across the nation.