NAPH members represent just 2 percent of the U.S. hospital industry but 44 percent of the nation’s burn care units. In fact, many public hospitals offer the only poison or burn center in their states. NAPH members also provide the only Level I trauma care centers, or the only trauma centers of any level, in 29 cities.
Given the relationship between public hospitals and local government, it is not surprising that NAPH members have taken leadership roles in responding to such large scale emergencies as the Haiti earthquake (2010), H1N1 outbreaks (2008 and 2009), Minneapolis bridge collapse (2007), Seattle windstorm (2006), Hurricane Katrina (2005), and the Northeastern Blackout (2003). Continue Reading