This document provides recommended guiding principles and actions TAHSN hospitals to consider in response to an influenza pandemic, and serves as a guide for other hospitals. In May 2005, TASHN brought its members together to develop coordinated pandemic preparedness guidelines for the nine hospitals. Toronto Public Health, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and two community hospitals - St. Joseph's Health Centre and Toronto East General Hospital - joined as observers to share their unique perspectives and ensure linkages. The guidelines consist of 12 chapters: an action plan; an ethical framework; communication/education; capacity assessment, triage and patient management; antiviral medication and vaccine; supplies; safety and support; human resources; physicians and surgeons; patient registry/information technology; and recovery. Key recommendations include: stockpiling anti-virals to protect all hospital staff from getting sick in the first place so that hospitals can keep running; canceling or scaling-back some programs and services (ex. elective surgeries) to create additional capacity in hospitals; redeployment of staff to other roles in the hospital to maintain adequate staffing levels; educating staff about the pandemic and the organization's response; using an ethical framework to guide decision-making.
