If you've ever heard a code red hospital call, an expert explains what this and 12 other healthcare emergency alert codes mean.

Many hospital employees are unable to identify the meaning of emergency codes, which could hinder an urgent response to incidents, according to a study published in the International Journal of ...

For their study, the UGA team surveyed 304 clinical and nonclinical employees at five Georgia health care facilities on 14 emergency codes at their respective workplaces.

With growing scrutiny of these codes, organizations like the Washington State Hospital Association are encouraging member hospitals to adopt plain-language systems for emergency announcements.

For their study, the UGA team surveyed 304 clinical and nonclinical employees at five Georgia health care facilities on 14 emergency codes at their respective workplaces.