URGENT - Ontario Health Pandemic Influenza Plan_OHPIP_Released
For the Attention of Hospital CEOs, OHA Board of Directors,
and CACN Members
From Greg Shaw, VP Strategic Human Resources Management
URGENT – Ontario Health Pandemic Influenza Plan (OHPIP) Released
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) has released the 2006 iteration of the Ontario Health Pandemic Influenza Plan (OHPIP) which is available for viewing in its entirety or by individual sections on the MOHLTC website at http://www.health.gov.on.ca/pandemic.
The OHA actively participates on the OHPIP Steering Committee, sub-committees, and working groups and has been involved in providing input to various sections. Hospitals are encouraged to review the Plan for updated information which will help guide their own pandemic influenza planning activities, including:
- A chapter on Occupational Health and Safety with guidelines for how to protect and maintain the health workforce during a pandemic. (New!)
- Updated information regarding antiviral and vaccine priority groups.
- Updated guidelines for laboratory services during different phases of the pandemic.
- Updated Communications chapter with a crisis communications toolkit for the health care sector. (New!)
- Guidelines for optimizing deployment of the health workforce during a pandemic. (New!)
- An updated surveillance chapter with pandemic data collection forms for institutions. (New!)
- Guidelines for establishing Community-based Influenza Assessment, Treatment and Referral Centres. (New!)
- Updated Acute Care Services chapter with guidelines and forms for critical care and triage criteria for hospitals and critical care units. (New!)
- Guidelines regarding Paediatric services during a pandemic. (New!)
- Updated Equipment and Supplies chapter with templates for hospital stockpiling. (New!)
If you have any questions about OHPIP or this Bulletin, please contact Karen Sequeira, at 416-205-1328 (email: ksequeira@oha.com).