Pandemic Next Steps

Dr. Valérie Homier
Emergency Medicine Specialist, McGill University Health Centre (MUHC)
Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, McGill University
Medical Co-Director, Emergency Preparedness, MUHC

Dr. Daniel Kollek
Assistant Clinical Professor, Emergency Medicine, McMaster University
Chair, Disaster Committee, Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP)
Director, Centre for Excellence in Emergency Preparedness (CEEP)

In this session, experienced practitioners will present an inventory of evidence-based innovations deployed in Canadian and foreign hospitals to prepare and respond to COVID-19. The presenters collected their data through a call for information sent out through different channels to hospitals in all provinces in Canada. The researchers will highlight 20 evidence-based practices for how hospitals prepared and responded to COVID-19.

Session Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session the delegates will be able to:

• Identify three innovative practices for how hospitals can better prepare and respond to high impact pandemics
• Articulate three methods in which the response to the COVID-19 pandemic differed from province to province and within a province

The practical evidenced-based outcomes highlighted in this session fall under the following five categories:

• Communication and Leadership
• Command and control
• Planning
• Operations
• Others

Dr. Daniel Kollek
Assistant Clinical Professor, Emergency Medicine, McMaster University
Chair, Disaster Committee, Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP)
Director, Centre for Excellence in Emergency Preparedness (CEEP)

Rural and remote hospitals present special challenges. In this session, the experienced practitioners will present their data and patient outcomes, highlighting how their rural hospital and community prepared and responded to COVID-19. Some of the topics covered will be hospital capacity, transport and telemedicine considerations, human resources, relationships with the community and government officials, partnerships with other stakeholders and resources.

Session Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session the delegates will be able to:

• Identify three challenges rural hospitals face in responding to high impact pandemics and how they were overcome
• Articulate three methods in which the response to the COVID-19 pandemic differed between rural and urban settings
• Identify one evidenced-based strategy rural hospitals can deploy to prepare and respond to future high impact pandemics

Dr. Adam Vyse
Physician Lead
Calgary Rural Primary Care Network, High River, Alberta

The theme for discussions: “If I knew then what I know now”
What is the most important lesson that you learned during the first wave of COVID19 within your hospital / your organisation?

Session Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session the delegates will be able to:

• Articulate one method in which the response to future high-impact pandemics could be improved within their organization

The COVID pandemic brought many communications challenges even for the most knowledgeable and experienced hospital communicators and administrators. The need for constant updates and to effectively reach various audiences are key considerations. Providing valuable information to the public, patients, clinicians and other hospital workers is at the heart of a successful endeavour.

Critical is the ability to reach audiences using the channels they use and in a format that suits their needs. Separating essential clinical information from more mundane news updates is another factor behind effective pandemic communications.

The session will look at knowledge gained on topics such as the use of social networks and mobile technology, combatting rumours and disinformation as well as getting feedback from clinical teams and other audiences.

Session Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session the delegates will be able to:

• Identify three practical ways on how hospital communicators and administrators can improve the flow of communication with staff during a high impact pandemic

Patrice Cloutier
Manager, Corporate Communications
Hamilton Health Sciences

There are extensive resources available regarding best practices for maintaining staff wellness during disasters, including pandemics. Although hospitals have processes and procedures in place to support their staff, the practical execution of these processes were taxed during the worst of the COVID outbreak.

In this session the presenters will report on their own research, detailing how clinical staff coped with the physical and mental challenges imposed on them as front line staff responding to COVID.

Session Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session the delegates will be able to:

• Identify three innovative methods in which large organizations such hospitals can better protect employees from the adverse effects of responding to high impact pandemics

Dr. Kerstin de Wit
Assistant Professor, Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Queen’s University
Emergency Medicine and Thrombosis Physician, Hamilton Health Sciences

In this exclusive evidence-based session, the presenters will detail how hospitals in Israel prepared and responded to COVID-19 and explain what made the situation in their country unique. Drawing on their accumulated data, some of the topics covered will include hospital capacity, transport and telemedicine considerations, human resources, relationships with the community and government officials, partnerships with other stakeholders and resources.

Session Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session the delegates will be able to:

• Articulate one method in which the response to the COVID-19 pandemic differed in Canada from the response in Israel

Dr. Pinchas Halpern
Retired Chair, Division of Emergency Medicine
Tel Aviv Medical Center