A nurses' union is suing a Boston hospital to preserve its employees' ability to decline influenza vaccination after the hospital made it a condition of employment.

While Massachusetts law lets employees opt out of workplace flu shot initiatives, Brigham & Women's Hospital has made it mandatory due to an employee vaccination rate that is lower than other regional hospitals.

The Massachusetts Nurses Association filed a civil lawsuit in state court on Sept. 22 to block the implementation of Brigham & Women's mandatory vaccination policy. The union represents approximately 23,000 nurses and other providers statewide, including 3,200 of the hospital's employees.

The union's attorney and a hospital spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

ASC-8, a Medicare quality reporting measure for outpatient surgical facilities, charts flu vaccination coverage among healthcare providers. The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, which notes that less than 20% of certified surgery centers have so far enrolled in the program, offers answers to frequently asked questions on ASC-8.

David Bernard