The impact of hospital surge capacity during the 2009 influenza pandemic on patient safety: A systematic review

This systematic review examines how hospital surge capacity strategies during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic affected patient safety. Hospitals expanded staff, supplies, space, and systems to handle increased demand. Across studies, these strategies improved outcomes such as shorter wait times, fewer patients leaving without being seen, better patient flow, and high patient and family satisfaction. As shown in multiple intervention results (Table 2), some sites reported no increase in adverse events despite large patient surges. Overall, the findings show that well-planned surge strategies can maintain or improve patient safety during crises, though evidence is limited and more research is needed.