Disasters can be external or internal or a combination for a health care organization. Sometimes disasters are both, i.e. earthquakes with building damage, tornadoes, floods. Health care delivery systems will need to respond to multiple emerging problems simultaneously with hospitals absorbing a large number of patients. One hospital is the communication center for receiving information and dispatching victims to the metropolitan hospitals. Once alerted, the hospital headquarters for the HEAR system begins hospital notification.
Hospitals then begin their individual disaster protocols.
They respond to the HEAR network with available beds, surgical suites, etc. The HEAR system then directs ambulances to various locations throughout the metropolitan area based on various factors. Each institution plan will vary because it is very specific to a location or hospital network, i.e. St. Luke's Health healthcare system. The disaster plan begins to be implemented before the first casualty arrives at a facility. Essential to any disaster service is teamwork and cooperation among all workers and volunteers.