title: Response to H1N1 influenza outbreak in a pediatric children's hospital: challenges faced and lessons learned.
abstract: In April 2009, media reports indicated an outbreak of swine flu (H1N1) resulting from several students from a local high school having been in Mexico. Over the next 6 weeks, the demand for the services of the children's hospital strained available resources, requiring innovative measures to care for more than 3,200 pediatric patients and their families with influenza-like illness. The purpose of this analysis is to provide an overview of the established emergency response to disasters for hospitals, describe the chronology of events of this disaster and the planning improvisations needed for management, and discuss the lessons learned and challenges for the future.
authors.affiliation: Occupational and Environmental Safety, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Schneider Children's Hospital, New Hyde Park, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cannava
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cicillini
authors.forename: Marybeth
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Higgins
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McGrath
authors.forename: Jerry
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Leary
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D057209:Hospital Rapid Response Team; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015397:Program Evaluation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines