H1N1 Influenza Scheduling Update From Diane Holmes, M.D.

The good news? H1N1 disease is all over the place, and it is, in almost every case, relatively mild disease.

It is the unnecessary PANIC about the disease that is fueling the chaotic situation.

H1N1 vaccine has begun to trickle into our offices. The "high risk group" has been re-defined to include ALL children 6 months to 24 years. That means that ALL of our patients fall into the high risk group.

We want to vaccinate as efficiently as possible, but we cannot and will not compromise patient care and safety standards in our offices!

Our current plan is to offer SAME DAY appointments for flu vaccine in the following manner:

CALL ONLY

8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.  M-F Lincoln office at (312)-279-8970

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.  M-Sat Halsted (312) 279-8916

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. M-Sat Glenview (847)998-8826

9:00 a.m. -10:00 a.m. Sun Halsted at (312) 279-8916

We will give out appointment slots to only as many people for that day as the office can accommodate safely and as our frustratingly unpredictable vaccine supply holds. No other calls for flu vaccine appointments will be taken outside of those hours. If the phone is not staffed that means that the appointments for the day are filled.

BE WARNED. This 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. phone hour will be like calling in to a radio show for prizes. Only a very small percentage of people will actually get through.   Regrettably, due to frustrating vaccine supply and manpower limitations, this is the very best we can do under impossible circumstances.

These vaccines will most probably be more widely available in schools and retail clinics soon. Please be patient and calm.