Preparedness planning and response to a mass-casualty incident: A case study of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Abstract
This case study describes a response to a real mass-casualty incident from the perspective of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, a major trauma centre in Toronto, on a day when hospital occupancy levels were at a peak. To help evaluate the lessons learned from the incident response, the article also outlines the hospital’s preparedness planning and the readiness assessment it conducted six months prior to the incident. Lessons learned from the readiness assessment are closely linked to those of the real incident, highlighting the importance of readiness assessments and that routine exercises are effective methods to identify opportunities for improvement and enhance preparedness. The mitigation of issues related to interoperability during an emergency requires investment in education, planning and preparedness, as well as routine training and exercises specific to mass-casualty incidents, with the inclusion of impacted departments and services across the hospital setting. Additionally, the inclusion of surge and overcapacity management principles within hospital emergency plans would benefit from further case studies as a method to maintain continuity of operations during these events.
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Author's Biography
Claudia Cocco is the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Emergency Preparedness Co-Lead for hospitals in the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network. With extensive experience in exercise design, surge management and continuity of operations planning, she coordinates communication and collaboration with health system partners for best practice and knowledge transfer opportunities to mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from planned and unplanned emergencies/events. Prior to entering the field of emergency preparedness, Claudia worked as a registered nurse, caring for some of Ontario’s most vulnerable populations.
Will Thomas-Boaz is the Advanced Practice Nurse within the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre emergency department and trauma programme. Since graduating from McMaster University, Will has spent his entire nursing career in the emergency department setting, and was a mentor to new staff, triage nurse and charge nurse at Sunnybrook before moving into his current role. Will has a master’s of nursing degree with a teaching focus and enjoys his current work in quality improvement, professional practice and education.
Citation
Cocco, Claudia and Thomas-Boaz, Will (2019, September 1). Preparedness planning and response to a mass-casualty incident: A case study of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. In the Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning, Volume 13, Issue 1. https://doi.org/10.69554/OQTK6473.
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