Combating Vaccine Hesitancy Among Staff: Four Healthcare Leaders Weigh in

Although approximately 73 percent of 10,000 Jefferson staff responding to a recent survey about the COVID-19 vaccine said they were likely or very likely to receive it, the responses were uneven among some subgroups. In speaking to some of our front-line non-clinical staff, a number of themes arose, indicating questions, concerns, and misconceptions about the vaccine. To address these concerns, we launched our Real Talk initiative designed to recruit a multiracial, multiethnic, multidisciplinary group of influencers.

Since the launch of our Real Talk initiative, we realized that, despite our best efforts, some had not received the print or digital materials we prepared in advance of the vaccine rollout. Through Real Talk, we have been able to provide information specific to employees’ concerns. The initiative also represented an opportunity to communicate our concern for our employees’ well-being.