Preparedness Podcast: Michael Wargo shares how HCA Healthcare hospitals prepare for emergencies

HCA Healthcare’s Vice President of Enterprise Emergency Operations Michael Wargo recently joined the Federation of American Hospitals (FAH) podcast Hospitals in Focus with Chip Kahn to discuss how HCA Healthcare and its affiliate facilities are prepared to serve our communities during all types of disasters.

Wargo’s conversation with Kahn, host of the podcast and chief executive officer for the FAH, took place in HCA Healthcare’s emergency operations center in Nashville, which, over the last two months, has been activated to help coordinate response efforts and provide support to affiliate hospitals affected by Hurricane Florence, Hurricane Michael, the Woolsey Fire in Southern California and other emergency situations.

“Readiness includes preparedness but also the immediate ability to respond,” Wargo said in the episode, also acknowledging that HCA Healthcare has learned a great deal about emergency preparedness and response through the years and have placed those best practices into action.

“Certainly for HCA Healthcare, long before my arrival when (Hurricane) Katrina happened, it was a moment where they realized it’s important to pre-plan and have playbooks and bring resources together for any type of incident – small scale, large scale, etc. – so we can continue to provide that patient care in our communities, not just during a disaster, but immediately following and managing the continuity of healthcare,” Wargo explained.

From natural disasters to human tragedies, listen here as Wargo shares stories of coordination and collaboration across the HCA Healthcare enterprise and through its partners to ensure staff is safe, patient care is uninterrupted and community needs are met.

Hospitals in Focus with Chip Kahn can also be found on Apple Podcasts here and Google Play here.

HCA Healthcare is a member of the Federation of American Hospitals (FAH), the national representative of more than 1,000 investor-owned or managed community hospitals and health systems in the United States.

HCA Healthcare 50th Anniversary
In 1968, HCA Healthcare was conceived by two physicians and an accomplished business leader — Dr. Thomas Frist Sr., Dr. Thomas Frist Jr., and Jack Massey. This year, HCA Healthcare celebrates its golden anniversary and the culture of caring established by our three founders 50 years ago. To help us celebrate our 50th year, we’ll share stories here that reflect HCA Healthcare’s mission – above all else, the care and improvement of human life – and our pledge to improve life and make history for the next 50 years and beyond.