Tips for talking to your patients about vaccines

I am an advocate for vaccines. They are one of the greatest advances in public health in our last century, and every patient encounter is an opportunity to strengthen our community's immunity. Our goal, regardless of the reason for the visit, is to ensure our patients are up-to-date on all recommended immunizations.

Not everyone will get every vaccine we recommend for them. But making sure patients stay up to date on vaccines is a vital skill that family physicians and their support teams need. This is not just about me. This is not just about the patient. This is about the public health, and we need to make sure that we are advocates for our public wellbeing, too.

With the discussion around vaccines reaching an exhausting level for everyone involved, let’s look at some of the most impactful ways we can talk to patients about immunization.

The worrying shift in vaccine framing

Why does this matter? It matters because vaccines are being framed worryingly by multiple institutions. If you read headlines, the shift is very clear: Vaccines on the whole are now often being billed not as lifesaving tools, but as unnecessary risks deserving additional scrutiny.

We, as physicians, know this is not the case. We know that vaccines provide a huge reward against very small risks. We know that, historically, any significant long-term problem with a vaccine has been identified within eight weeks of its phase 3 trial. And we know that there is no link between vaccines and autism, which has been well-known for decades.   

Talking to patients about vaccines often means navigating myths, misunderstanding, mistrust, misguidance and misperception.

Our role in vaccines

The good news: All is not lost.

Do you know who most influences particularly adults' decisions to get immunized? Any idea? It’s their physician. Data shows that, nearly 70% of the time, the biggest influence in a person’s decision to get or not get a vaccine is their personal physician. It’s because you or I are recommending it.

It's important to remember that when patients say they're “doing their own research,” they are rarely poring over journal articles. They are seeking information that confirms their existing views. This fact is actually our greatest strength: We are the trusted source that can provide accurate, evidence-based guidance, especially since data shows nearly 70% of patients value their personal physician's recommendation most.

Guiding style of language

Perhaps the most important way to talk to your patients about vaccines is to make the assumption that they are going to want the vaccine. We are anticipating that they will get the vaccine.

Myths and misunderstanding are out there. But the positioning of vaccines is very important. We don’t want to waffle and ask something like, “Now, what do you think about the vaccine?” Instead, we should use language that supports the assumption that they would want it.

This does not mean that you don’t shut out your patients from the dialogue. Ask them what questions they have about the vaccine. Take the time to listen. Respond clearly. Trust develops when patients identify both your competence and your caring, and that can take time. But remember: They value what you say. Make recommendations with that in mind.

Be careful with statistics

We humans aren’t always the best with internalizing what statistics really mean. For instance, you’re two and a half more times likely to die in a car accident in one trip than from getting the COVID vaccine. Nobody thinks on a Monday morning when opening their driver’s side door that they’re going to get into a car accident. But some people were (and still are) genuinely worried about dying from getting the vaccine.

Additionally, as my colleague Dr. Frank Domino said, “You cannot change an emotional thought with logic.” If you have a patient who is concerned about getting a vaccine because they claim they have tracking devices or that they cause autism, you can’t simply quote statistics at them and expect them to change their mind.

Combativeness doesn’t work

It can give you some immediate satisfaction to rebuff particularly misinformed or deluded patients. But as soon as you adopt a combative or confrontational stance, you might as well retreat and give up for the day because you’re not going to get anywhere with them.

Missing cues, using jargon, overstating vaccine safety, using confrontational body language—these are all common mistakes that physicians make. And while you should always act with the assumption they will take your recommended vaccine, there’s a fine line between that and directly telling them that they’re going to take it. 

Every visit is an opportunity 

As family physicians, we are the most influential voices our patients hear when it comes to immunization. Navigating myths and misunderstandings requires a strategy that is confident, non-confrontational and rooted in our patient's trust in us.

We must Immunize. Immunize. Immunize. Every patient visit is an opportunity for primary prevention, and vaccines are central to accomplishing that goal.

Stay informed and empowered

Staying on top of the latest studies and vaccine news can be a tough ask in a busy practice. That’s why I’m so passionate about Family Medicine Update (FMU). This CME course covers actionable, practice-ready insights that you can immediately put into place, including the most up-to-date information about vaccines.

The next FMU will be held Dec. 9-13 in a livestream format. I strongly believe every family physician should be there.

In the meantime, the AAFP has an extensive immunizations and vaccines information hub where you can find schedules, toolkits, and resources to support your practice.

David Weismiller, MD, ScM, FAAFP is a practicing family physician and professor at the Kirk Kekorian School of Medicine at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. An in-demand speaker and educator, Weismiller is a regular contributor for the AAFP’s Family Medicine Update and Board Review Express courses.