More than 76 percent of hospitals that are part of the National Hospital Preparedness Program met 90 percent or more of measures for all-hazard preparedness in 2009. Of the nation's 6,300 hospitals, more than 85 percent participate in the program.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' report, many hospitals use dedicated interoperable systems to commute with other hospitals, public health agencies and emergency managers, Fierce Healthcare reports.
Most hospitals have planned ahead for the expected rise in demand for healthcare during a disaster. However, other studies have shown that most state health departments lack adequate plans to cope with nuclear incidents.
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