Preparedness planning and response to a mass-casualty incident: A case study of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

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.