Once the storms passed, the rebuilding began. Hurricane Helene, a storm of unprecedented magnitude, left behind a 500-mile path of destruction that crossed six states from Florida to the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Massive flooding, mudslides and landslides significantly changed the Western North Carolina landscape forever. When Hurricane Milton hit Florida less than two weeks later, it wreaked havoc across the state, generating intense rainfall, strong winds, tornadoes and storm surge. Through both storms, hundreds of colleagues rallied to support impacted communities through donating to the Hope Fund, deploying to disaster areas or volunteering in rescue or recovery efforts. Colleagues also shared their skills and personal resources, exemplifying our mission to care for and improve the lives of others.

Our work is not yet done. To restore a community physically and emotionally requires time, presence and dedicated resources.

“The need after a hurricane is so great,” says Amber Boes, division chief nurse executive for HCA West Florida.

Patient volumes surged after both hurricanes, requiring additional staff. A temporary free-standing emergency room was established at HCA Florida Largo Hospital. Colleagues in Amber’s division also faced flooding and structural damage to their homes, which they were able to attend to as a result of the additional coverage received from elsewhere. In Asheville, N.C., Helene disabled the city’s infrastructure for months.

When our facilities need repair, continuity of care for both patients and colleagues become paramount. We show up when our fellow colleagues need a helping hand or respite.

Hurricanes of this magnitude are known to make a farreaching impact. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the population of New Orleans was reduced by half, and research shows that Katrina had immediate and lasting physical and mental health consequences. These events can leave an indelible mark, and Hurricanes Helene and Milton may be no exception.

When components of an entire town or community are wiped out by mudslides and flooding, a generational impact is left on those living there.

The loss of family homes and businesses, churches and community centers are all felt throughout a community. The economic impact throughout the region will be significant for many families.

Holistically, we are not just responding to the physical impact. We are responding to the humanitarian needs of food, water and shelter. We are responding to the psychological impact within the community.

HCA Healthcare deployed behavioral health resources following Hurricane Helene, including four behavioral health response teams and therapy dogs. Our partners, Global Medical Response, also deployed therapy dogs to provide comfort to community members and colleagues alike. Oakley, a golden doodle, was deployed with handler Nicole Gonzales, an operations supervisor in California, to care for colleagues at Mission Hospital. From HCA Healthcare affiliate HealthTrust, more than 200 colleague volunteers were deployed to assist with sourcing, contracting, Human Resources needs and more.

More than 1,455 Hope Fund grants totaling more than $1.1 million were provided to North Carolina colleagues. Immediately following the disaster, HCA Healthcare also donated $1 million through community organizations to aid Hurricane Helene relief efforts in North Carolina. Contributions to the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County will assist immediate and long-term support for flood victims.

Another $250,000 to the American Red Cross of North Carolina will support its shelter locations. Another $500,000 will benefit additional community partners providing direct support for hurricane-related issues.

“Caring for those in need is our greatest calling at HCA Healthcare, and I am deeply moved by the resilience and compassion of our colleagues,” said Sam Hazen, chief executive officer, HCA Healthcare. “It is our honor to support organizations like United Way and the American Red Cross to help our Western North Carolina (WNC) communities through Hurricane Helene and its aftermath.”

As Western North Carolina (WNC) works to rebuild after the disaster, Greg Lowe, North Carolina division president at HCA Healthcare, echoes what many colleagues have expressed throughout the ordeal.

“Our patients and our inspiring caregivers who have forged through this disaster with kindness and courage are what keeps driving me,” Greg says. “I think we are all motivated by seeing our Western North Carolina (WNC) communities and beyond come together to support each other and rebuild all that we have lost.”

As Hurricane Milton headed towards Florida, five HCA Healthcare hospitals were closed ahead of its landfall. Another 324 facilities were also closed, including ambulatory surgery centers, physician practices, urgent care centers and freestanding emergency rooms. Seven HCA Healthcare hospitals were de-risked, transferring critical patients and services out of flood zones before a storm arrives. Following the storm, 239 patients were transported from the hospital to sister and neighboring facilities. To support patient care while HCA Florida Largo Hospital closed for remediation, HCA Healthcare established a modular free-standing emergency department that looks, feels and functions like a brick-and-mortar hospital, allowing colleagues to deliver uninterrupted emergency care to patients.

Tiffany Briggs, director of communications and community engagement for HCA Florida Largo Hospital says it required the partnership of many to make it happen, including the Florida Department of Health. The unit includes room for eight patient beds, with room for expansion. There are also seated waiting areas, a physician dictation room, and a pharmacy.

“It’s pretty incredible,” she says. “They were able to get it up and going within three days.”

Tiffany says their team felt completely supported before, during and after Milton. From the supplies that arrived by helicopter, to Wi-Fi access, to providing fuel for colleagues to get to and from work — Tiffany says the assistance throughout made a difference in how they were able to care for patients.

“Our colleagues are here with us before, during and after the storm, but then they also have things they’re going home to, and that’s heavy as well,” she says. “So emotionally dealing with their patients and getting them through, then going home and having their home life to balance with their loved ones, being able to make things easier for our colleagues is a huge benefit.”

In addition, more than 746 Hope Fund grants were fulfilled following Hurricane Milton, totaling more than $608,500 as of early November.

“There are so many elements to how HCA Healthcare supports colleagues that then allow us to care for our community,” Tiffany says. “It’s super inspiring to see it all come together. It’s unfortunate that we have to experience it, but it’s incredible to see that support.”

There’s no doubt that our investment in disaster planning helped saved lives. By following the guidance of the EEOC and leveraging the expertise of our colleagues throughout the organization, we supported our fellow colleagues and their patients. The trusted partnerships established with organizations like FEMA, GMR, the American Red Cross, the Air National Guard and neighboring healthcare facilities allowed us to provide continuity of care to devastated communities throughout the southeast.

“Those relationships are just as important now in recovery, because it’s the advocacy needed of our federal partners to say we need an investment in readiness,” says Michael Wargo. “As a large health system that manages probably the highest volume of healthcare crises in the world, it gives us the experience and the expertise to go to our federal and state partners with evidence to say, ‘This is what we need to do. If (disasters) can happen to us, it can happen to the small rural community hospital that doesn’t have the resources that we do. So how can we mandate future directives based on experience?’”

Teams participate in conversations about how we can build relationships not only with neighboring health systems in the markets we serve, but also with the top academic health centers and share lessons learned after experiences like Helene and Milton. Ultimately, if we can build more resilient healthcare systems throughout the United States, every patient is better served.