Pandemic Influenza and Acute Care Centers: Taking Care of Sick Patients in a Nonhospital Setting

Abstract

The ongoing spread of H5N1 avian influenza in Southeast Asia has raised concern about a worldwide influenza pandemic and has made clear the need to plan in advance for such an event. The federal government has stressed the importance of planning and, in particular, has asked hospitals and public health agencies to develop plans to care for patients outside of traditional healthcare settings. These alternative or acute care centers (ACCs) would be opened when hospitals, emergency departments (EDs), and clinics are overwhelmed by an influenza pandemic. The University of Michigan Hospital System (UMHS), a large tertiary care center in southeast Michigan, has been developing a model for offsite care of patients during an influenza pandemic. This article summarizes our planning efforts and the lessons learned from 2 functional exercises over the past 3 years.

Insights on developing a field hospital formulary and medication distribution process in preparation for a second surge of COVID-19 cases

“…As part of these efforts, health systems were required to develop plans for “alternative care centers” (ACCs) designed to expand the capacity of health systems to care for patients following mass casualty events such as natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and pandemics. 15 At Michigan Medicine, discussions about what these ACCs would look like resulted in an expectation that any offsite patient care facility would provide limited supportive care for non–critically ill patients, while those requiring higher levels of medical care would be treated and closely monitored at the main hospital. As the COVID-19 pandemic progressed and the potential need for a field hospital became apparent, this guiding principle was reaffirmed by the hospital leadership as discussions concerning the operationalization of a field hospital got underway.…”

Broadening Access to Medical Care During a Severe Influenza Pandemic: The CDC Nurse Triage Line Project

“…A complementary strategy to mitigating surge might be to reduce ''demand'' for such services by better matching patient needs with alternative types and sites of care. 13,14 Any influences that increase or decrease demand for patient care services, particularly during an emergency incident, will have a major impact on the ability to match patient needs with available resources. In the absence of a clear, consistent messaging campaign that promotes the availability of a range of healthcare services, the patient demand for care will typically focus on traditional healthcare delivery venues.…”

Provision of Pharmacy Services at an Influenza Assessment Centre

“…Additional suggestions were to ensure that the morning shift was always staffed by someone with previous experience at the clinic, to pair any new pharmacy staff member with an experienced staff member, to develop a checklist for training to be completed by new staff, and to create a "mock" clinic pharmacy to help identify potential problems. 2 This single copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. For permission to reprint multiple copies or to order presentation-ready copies for distribution, contact CJHP at cjhpedit@cshp.ca…”