ABSTRACT
Since the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 and the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008, substantial resources have been devoted to improving disaster resilience in China, with a particular emphasis on mitigating the impact of wide-spread infectious diseases and mass casualty incidents [1, 2]. Adequate progress can only be achieved by integrating local, provincial, and national systems [3]. Health systems are essential to enhance disaster resilience, and therefore planning at all levels should include health care facilities, such as tertiary hospitals, primary health care facilities, public health departments, and emergency medical services [4]. Within regional health systems, tertiary hospitals are the key component, as they are the main providers of health care during disasters. They also provide leadership during response phase of a disaster, and represent a critical linkage for disaster management for the whole system.
