H1N1 Information for Families | H1N1 Flu Q&A | ER and Children with Flu Symptoms | H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) Information
As the region is facing the beginning of a pandemic of H1N1 “swine” flu, all pediatric units from the Pediatric Emergency Room to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit are caring for patients who can go from healthy to critically ill very quickly. H1N1 is expected to hit children, young adults and pregnant women the hardest.
Even before flu season hit, the Pediatric Emergency Department and other inpatient units have made strides in improving patient flow to be able to triage patients effectively and make sure Pediatric ICU beds remain available for the sickest patients.
In the past, most pediatric patients being transferred here from other hospitals were admitted directly to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), because the referring hospital had given the patient an ICU status, says Keyvan Rafei, M.D., M.B.A.
“But not every child needed to go to the PICU,” Rafei says. Because of their specialized skills and experience, members of the UMMC pediatric staff are often able to treat these children in an acute care setting, without admitting them to a PICU bed. Doing the proper evaluation can keep PICU beds available for those young patients who really do need them, Rafei says.
“It is a better use of our resources that ensures the most appropriate care for each patient,” he says. “Sometimes, we can even treat the child in the emergency department and send them home.”
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