HCA Healthcare Magazine - Winter 2019 - 16

Raise
the Bar

Prepared
for Anything
How we support our HCA Healthcare
colleagues during times of adversity.
uring Labor Day weekend 2019, when Hurricane
Dorian was threatening the east coast of Florida,
our local leadership teams in that state, along with
our corporate emergency operations team, were pulling
all-nighters to ensure that our patients and colleagues had the
resources needed to remain safe while serving their communities. With dozens of our facilities in the storm's predicted
path, we anticipated at least some impact to our communities,
colleagues and patients-and, as always, we were ready.
"Caring for the victims of a tragedy is an essential
community responsibility that hospitals and their physicians
and nurses bear," says Michael Wargo, vice president of
Enterprise Preparedness and Emergency Operations.
And it is one that is embraced by colleagues in all sites of
care and at all levels-all year, every year.
"Our HCA Healthcare family is connected by a steadfast
mission: Above all else, we are committed to the care and
improvement of human life," says chief executive officer
Sam Hazen. "In the most difficult of moments, we see that
commitment displayed in an even more pronounced way.
I am often humbled by the dedication of our colleagues to serve
our communities and each other in the midst of adversity."
As we embark on a new year, we reflect on how our
HCA Healthcare family has cared for others during the most
difficult times-and how we can elevate our humanitarianism
in the future.
16 | HCAhealthcare.com

Experience as Teacher
With 184 hospitals across the enterprise, our family tree
has many branches and deep roots. After Hurricane Katrina
hit New Orleans in 2005, we realized that centralizing
emergency resources could help us quickly respond and make
it easier to circulate information and distribute supplies in
the wake of disaster. This is why the Enterprise Emergency
Operations Center (EEOC) was headquartered in Nashville
and is at the ready 24/7/365, complete with a basement
bunker filled with cutting-edge equipment and technology.
HCA Healthcare hospitals are also engaged in regional
coalitions, which include our facilities, EMS providers,
emergency management organizations, public health
agencies and other community service organizations.
They share information about what supplies, personnel
and capabilities they can provide.
The final step in managing any disaster or crisis, says
Michael, is looking at what went right-and what could have
gone better. "Immediately following the 2017 shooting in
Las Vegas, our EEOC and our colleagues at Sunrise Hospital
and Medical Center-who cared for more than 200 victims-
began compiling lessons learned," he says. "Our hospitals
must be prepared for the worst emerging scenarios and
pray they never happen. But when they do, community
cooperation made possible by communication, collaboration
and coordination saves lives."

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HCA Healthcare Magazine - Winter 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of HCA Healthcare Magazine - Winter 2019