Influenza pandemics are natural recurring events, which develop when a random rearrangement of genetic material in the circulating influenza virus produces a never-before-seen strain of flu virus.  Since the virus is brand new, nobody in the world has protective antibodies against it, and everyone is potentially vulnerable to getting sick and spreading it to others.  In 2009, we witnessed the sudden emergence of the H1N1 swine flu virus, which swept around the globe—but fortunately it produced a relatively mild influenza illness.  Many people got sick, but the death rate was low.  The influenza pandemic of 2009 was the mildest in a century—the earlier pandemics were mild (1968), moderate (1957), and very severe (1918).

Flu experts remind us that the mild 2009 pandemic does not reflect in any way when or how severe the next pandemic might be.

The Affiliated Physicians antiviral screening and dissemination program consists of:

Antiviral Acquisition and Storage - Affiliated Physicians can purchase and store antiviral medications on a company's behalf.

Communication Tools – Our program provides customized communication tools to announce the program and encourage participation including emails, posters, table tents and many others.

Education - Affiliated Physicians has created multiple educational resources for our clients, including an online/interactive module, printed materials, in-person seminars, and a 15-minute video, all focused on bird flu, pandemic flu, antivirals and its uses.

Registration - Participant registration includes the collection and/or verification of employee demographic information, program scheduling, and the distribution of the necessary program paperwork.

On-Site Medical Screenings - AP will conduct medical screenings for employees and eligible family members of our clients. All screenings will be preformed by a physician licensed in the state where services are rendered. The majority of medical screenings will be performed at our client's facilities. However, there are off-site screening options also available.

Antivirals Distribution - Affiliated Physicians can coordinate the distribution of Antiviral medications using a mail-order pharmacy or multiple other options. Affiliated Physicians will work with you to determine what works best for your company.

Reporting – We provide our clients with ongoing statistics and reporting of program utilization. Throughout the program, clients receive reports detailing the number of participants who have registered for their program and the number who actually utilized the benefit.

For more information about Pandemic Flu Antiviral Programs, please call (877) 292.5546 or email ap@affiliatedphysicians.net.