News & Media

May 1, 2009

Swine Influenza Update

Fatima Hospital is carefully monitoring all activity, nationally and locally, surrounding the global spread of the swine influenza, also referred to as H1N1 Influenza. Hospital officials have mobilized the pandemic emergency preparedness plan to assure that Fatima will be ready should the outbreak spread aggressively to our area. We are also working closely with the RI Department of Health and other key providers to implement a coordinated care delivery system in the event of a pandemic crisis.

As the leading regional medical resource for the Northwest Providence metropolitan area and the north central region of the state, Fatima will be fully prepared to assure the uninterrupted service of routine and specialty health care to the surrounding communities.

You can be assured that the hospital is taking all necessary precautions to safeguard existing patients and is properly prepared in the event this flu strain develops into a pandemic. To date, hospital operations continue as normal and there are no restrictions on routine procedures or on visitors and visiting hours.

As always, please follow and encourage all recommended flu prevention procedures.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your health condition as it relates to flu-like symptoms, we urge you to contact your personal physician immediately.

The RI Department of Health has also established a public information hotline for any interested persons. That number is 401-222-8022 and is staffed 7 days a week during normal business hours. The website links below offer timely and appropriate information on this issue as well.

Links:
RI Department of Health
www.health.state.ri.us

Centers for Disease Control
www.cdc.gov

World Health Organization
www.who.int