RespSafe

RespSafe is an immunization improvement program for employees of long-term care facilities and hospitals designed to protect health care workers and their most vulnerable patients through increasing influenza and COVID-19 immunization rates of health care personnel.

About RespSafe

Long-term care (LTC) facilities and hospitals will be recognized for implementing vaccination activities, strongly encouraging and/or offering flu and COVID-19 vaccination, and achieving high influenza (flu) vaccination rates among their health care personnel.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) endorses recommendations that specifically include flu and COVID-19 vaccine for health care personnel (HCP). The American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend vaccinations for HCPs. For additional information on COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, refer to COVID-19 Vaccine Providers.

Participating organizations will implement at least two best practice strategies to improve vaccination coverage and track their rates between Oct. 1 to Mar. 31. Efforts were made to align RespSafe with the CDC: National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) reporting guidelines. Recommended strategies to improve vaccination coverage for health care personnel can be found on Vaccinating Health Care Workers: Influenza and COVID-19.

To receive updates via email on the RespSafe program, enter your email address at the bottom of this webpage. If you have questions about RespSafe contact Health.RespSafe.MDH@state.mn.us.

Who is eligible

• Minnesota LTC facilities and hospitals. The definition of a LTC facility can be found on Minnesota Department of Human Services 2.4.2.4 MA-LTC Long-Term Care Facility Services.
• Health care personnel are defined as all paid employees, licensed independent practitioners, and adult students or trainees who are physically present in the health care facility for at least one working day from Oct. 1 through Mar. 31 of the current respiratory season.

Instructions for participating

Those who choose to participate in RespSafe must enroll in VaxCheck, an MDH application. The functions of VaxCheck allow facilities to:

1. Access the RespSafe registration form to express the intent to participate in the program.
2. Invite people to sign an electronic consent form for MDH to share their flu and COVID-19 immunization data for the current respiratory season with their employer. If consent is received, MDH shares data from the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) via a downloadable spreadsheet. Participating organizations must still enroll in VaxCheck, even if they will track their employee’s immunization status outside of VaxCheck.
3. Submit their RespSafe report.

Steps to participate in RespSafe

1. Email Health.VaxCheck@state.mn.us to receive detailed instructions on how to use VaxCheck, and follow the directions provided to enroll your organization in VaxCheck.
2. Select at least two activities that your organization will implement throughout the respiratory season. Recommended strategies to improve health care worker immunization rates can be found on Vaccinating Health Care Workers: Influenza and COVID-19.
3. After your organization is enrolled in VaxCheck, submit the RespSafe registration form by January 31.
4. Optional: Use VaxCheck functionality to collect consent from your employees to receive their flu and COVID immunization information from MDH.
5. By May 15 submit your RespSafe report in VaxCheck.
6. Watch your inbox for an email from MDH with the details on the recognition tier your organization achieved.

Recognition tiers

• Bronze: Participated and implemented strategies, strongly encouraged and/or offered the flu and COVID-19 vaccine to staff, but did not meet 75% coverage goal for flu.
• Silver: Participated and implemented strategies, strongly encouraged and/or offered the flu and COVID-19 vaccine to staff, and met the 75% coverage goal for flu.
• Gold: Participated and implemented strategies, strongly encouraged and/or offered the flu and COVID-19 vaccine to staff, and met the 80% coverage goal for flu.