When Disaster Strikes, A Communication Command Center Helped One Medical Center Stay Afloat During Hurricane Florence

摘要

When Hurricane Florence bore down on the Carolinas last fall, forecasters predicted this Category 4 storm would cause catastrophic damage and life-threatening flooding. Our hospital, New Hanover Regional Medical Center (NHRMC) in Wilmington, N.C., was right in its path. This "storm of a lifetime" left more than 340,000 North Carolinians without power and caused 43 storm-related deaths. During all this time, our NHRMC teams came together to serve our community with courage, compassion and tireless dedication. Communication planning was critically important in enabling us to continuously and effectively care for our patients. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), developing and executing a communication plan is one of the four core elements of its Emergency Preparedness Rule to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid program.