Response to H1N1 Influenza Outbreak in a Pediatric Children's Hospital: Challenges Faced and Lessons Learned 1

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.