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Public Hospital Preparations for SARS Outbreak: Experience of Alexandra Hospital

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Francis Chun Yue Lee ,
Wei Keong Wee  and
Azman Johan
Francis Chun Yue Lee*
Affiliation:
Head Consultant, Department of Emergency Medicine, Alexandra Hospital, Singapore
Wei Keong Wee
Affiliation:
Deputy Director, Clinical Services and Director, Health for Life Centre, Alexandra Hospital, Singapore
Azman Johan
Affiliation:
Consultant and Director, Medical Intensive Care Unit, Alexandra Hospital, Singapore
*
Department of Emergency Medicine, Alexandra Hospital, 378 Alexandra Road, Singapore 159964 E-mail: [email protected]
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Extract

Alexandra Hospital (AH) was one of the public hospitals in Singapore that responded to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) crisis. Being the only public hospital that remained “SARS-free”, i.e., with no documented intra-institutional spread of disease, AH had to tackle a sudden, two-fold surge in hospital attendances and patient volume. Being the oldest hospital with a traditional open ward design and lack of proper isolation facilities, tough command and control policies had to be implemented to reduce the risk of a SARS outbreak. Stringent infection control measures, screening and triage, clinical procedures, and administrative policies all were important factors in helping the hospital balance the need to run routine operations while “fighting” SARS. Staff and people management also were crucial in keeping the workforce healthy and maintaining their morale and confidence during this difficult period.

Keywords

Alexandra Hospitalcontact tracingemergencyemergency departmentinfection controlhospitalscreeningSARSSingapore
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , February 2005 , pp. 24 - 31
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2005

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