As news outlets share more information on Hurricane Ida’s devastation, I want to make you aware of HCA Healthcare’s response and continued efforts to protect our patients, impacted colleagues, and facilities, even as the storm hit during a significant COVID surge.
The major Category 4 hurricane struck the greater New Orleans area yesterday, causing extensive damage across southeastern Louisiana. Three of our hospitals and many of our colleagues’ homes were in the storm’s path. We are incredibly grateful for the resilient frontline caregivers and support teams who tirelessly serve to ensure uninterrupted care and the safety of our patients and colleagues.
Prior to landfall, we activated our emergency operations team to help prepare our hospitals and ensure they had enough staff, medications, supplies, food, water, and generator power to continue operating and caring for patients — both during and after the storm. Human resources contacted all colleagues in the storm’s path through HCA Alert to create open lines of communication. As of this morning, our hospital teams reported limited water damage and no other significant destruction. Our facilities are on generator power and water boil notices; however, there has been no impact to patient care and our ERs remain open currently.
Throughout the next couple of days, our teams will continue to assess resource needs for our facilities, our colleagues, and nearby health systems in need of support. For colleagues, our HCA Healthcare Hope Fund is standing by to take applications for emergency and recovery assistance. If you are able, please consider donating to the Hope Fund to support impacted colleagues. The recovery efforts will likely take months and we will do our part to assist those in need.
Each day, I am inspired by the many ways our HCA Healthcare family bands together to support our patients and each other — especially during times of crisis. Our colleagues in southeast Louisiana are exemplifying our mission during this natural disaster. A special thank you to them, and to all of you, for your unwavering commitment to the care and improvement of human life.
Sincerely,
Sam Hazen, Chief Executive Officer