Less than 6 percent of people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital survive, while less than a quarter of hospital cardiac arrest patients survive, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine. The research also found significant disparities in survival rates based on victims' communities or the hospitals where they receive treatment. The report made several recommendations for improving the numbers, including expanded research into resuscitation, national accreditation standards for hospitals treating cardiac arrest, increased training and education and a national cardiac arrest registry. "Although breakthroughs in understanding and treating cardiac arrest are promising, the ability to deliver timely interventions and high-quality care is inconsistent," Robert Graham, chair of the study committee and director of the national program office for Aligning Forces for Quality at George Washington University, said in a statement. "Cardiac arrest treatment is a community issue, requiring a wide range of people to be prepared to act, including bystanders, family members, first responders, emergency medical personnel, and healthcare providers." Report (purchase or registration may be required)