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Editor's note: This is the second story in a two-part series about the flu season. Last month, we looked at ways to prepare your practice for the flu season. Every year up to 20% of the population is infected with the influenza virus (flu). Of those, 200,000 are hospitalized due to complications and 36,000 die, according to the Web site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is why it's important for your practice to keep your patients educated about flu vaccines and preventive measures to stem the spread of disease, says Terri Rebmann, associate director for curricular affairs and assistant professor at the Institute for Biosecurity of Saint Louis University's School of Public Health in St. Louis.