Southcoast Hospitals Group, which includes Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River and St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford, among others, is stepping up its response to the H1N1 (swine) flu, reaching out to the community and collaborating with local health agencies.

The hospital group has set up a special Web page, www.southcoast.org/flu, that includes the latest recommendations, updates and guidance from federal and state health experts and combines them with local resources.

The hospitals are sponsoring a weekly video podcast, “Flu Facts: Spread the Message, Not the Flu,” featuring Dr. Eugene McMahon, chief medical officer for Southcoast, covering key facts about the flu and news and information about local flu clinics, among other things.

The hospitals are also publishing brief “Flu Facts” updates via Facebook, Twitter and Southcoast eNews, and they’re regularly polling Web site visitors on such questions as when the best time is to hold a flu clinic, and whether they intend to get an H1N1 shot.

The Web site also offers guidance for special populations, including pregnant women, and for how to care for patients at home, and there’s a free “Flu Facts” poster encouraging proper hygiene that can be downloaded and displayed in public areas.

“Southcoast continues to dedicate significant resources to monitoring and responding to the H1N1 (swine) flu outbreak,” said Keith A. Hovan, president and CEO of the hospital group. “Our regional health care network provides our community members a coordinated response and consistent local information.”

Southcoast will also be hosting H1N1 vaccine clinics once the shots are available.