Florida healthcare comes through hurricane largely unscathed
As Florida recovers from Hurricane Helene, the state's network of Community Health Centers continues to provide crucial care statewide. Community Health Centers see patients despite their ability to pay. Although some facilities avoided significant damage, the storm's widespread impact is straining resources, staff and patients. Clinics from Sarasota to the Panhandle are focused on rebuilding and restoring services. Despite the storm's size and power, said Gianna Van Winkle, director of emergency management programs for the Florida Association of Community Health Centers , the centers largely avoided catastrophic damage. "No total losses or anything like that," she said, "but at the same time, there's power loss, there's staff and patient impacts that are going to affect the way that these health centers operate in these days and weeks ahead." In hard-hit rural areas, where resources and infrastructure are often limited, health centers operate mobile units and partner with county officials to deliver care and supplies. They're also collecting relief supplies to support workers affected by the storm. Health centers along the Gulf Coast, including in Sarasota, faced significant flooding. Christine Coviello, chief advancement and engagement officer for CenterPlace Health , said its facilities avoided structural damage, but had to close for a day because staff members were unable to reach the clinics. "The storm surge is what really got us," Coviello said. "The wind and the rain was something we could handle a lot better - but this time, the storm surge really affected those low-lying areas." Telehealth, mobile units and backup power systems allowed many facilities to remain operational or quickly return to service. However, despite these healthcare facilities coming out largely unscathed, many staff members are struggling to recover from personal losses, while still being called to serve their communities.
Florida News Connection
As Florida recovers from Hurricane Helene, the state's network of Community Health Centers continues to provide crucial care statewide. Community Health Centers see patients despite their ability to pay. Although some facilities avoided significant damage, the storm's widespread impact is straining resources, staff and patients. Clinics from Sarasota to the Panhandle are focused on rebuilding and restoring services. Despite the storm's size and power, said Gianna Van Winkle, director of emergency management programs for the Florida Association of Community Health Centers , the centers largely avoided catastrophic damage. "No total losses or anything like that," she said, "but at the same time, there's power loss, there's staff and patient impacts that are going to affect the way that these health centers operate in these days and weeks ahead." In hard-hit rural areas, where resources and infrastructure are often limited, health centers operate mobile units and partner with county officials to deliver care and supplies. They're also collecting relief supplies to support workers affected by the storm. Health centers along the Gulf Coast, including in Sarasota, faced significant flooding. Christine Coviello, chief advancement and engagement officer for CenterPlace Health , said its facilities avoided structural damage, but had to close for a day because staff members were unable to reach the clinics. "The storm surge is what really got us," Coviello said. "The wind and the rain was something we could handle a lot better - but this time, the storm surge really affected those low-lying areas." Telehealth, mobile units and backup power systems allowed many facilities to remain operational or quickly return to service. However, despite these healthcare facilities coming out largely unscathed, many staff members are struggling to recover from personal losses, while still being called to serve their communities.
Florida News Connection
