title: Hospital preparedness and SARS.
abstract: On May 23, 2003, Toronto experienced the second phase of a severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak. Ninety cases were confirmed, and >620 potential cases were managed. More than 9,000 persons had contact with confirmed or potential case-patients; many required quarantine. The main hospital involved during the second outbreak was North York General Hospital. We review this hospital's response to, and management of, this outbreak, including such factors as building preparation and engineering, personnel, departmental workload, policies and documentation, infection control, personal protective equipment, training and education, public health, management and administration, follow-up of SARS patients, and psychological and psychosocial management and research. We also make recommendations for other institutions to prepare for future outbreaks, regardless of their origin.
authors.affiliation: McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. mloutfy@nygh.on.ca
authors.forename: Mona R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Loutfy
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wallington
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rutledge
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mederski
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kwolek
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McRitchie
authors.forename: Azra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Bryan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Glassman
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ofner
authors.forename: Don E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McGeer
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baron
authors.forename: Glenn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berall
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods*; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology