Some hospitals are beginning to recover from the storm damage, flooding and power outages caused by Hurricane Helene.
The Category 4 story made landfall Sept. 26 in Florida's Big Bend region and disrupted communities across the Southeast.
In the aftermath, systems are mobilizing to reopen hospitals and clinics and provide other services such as mobile units and funds to immediate disaster relief. Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare has donated $1 million in aid to Hurricane Helene relief in North Carolina through community organizations, it said Oct. 1.
Some associations are stepping in to support hospital teams. Medical teams from HHS' Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response are supporting hospitals and shelters with medical tents and shelters to support the influx of patients.
Here are eight updates:
1. Augusta, Ga.-based Wellstar MCG Health is reopening 10 outpatient clinics Oct. 3, though its cancer center, two urgent cares and all other outpatient clinics remain closed, according to the system's website.
2. Doctors Hospital of Augusta (Ga.) is reopening its radiation oncology, mammography, wound care and maternal fetal medicine services, but physicians' practices remain closed. The hospital is also making daily decisions about elective surgeries, according to an alert on its website. Visitors are also restricted to one per patient.
3. St. Petersburg-based HCA Florida Pasadena Hospital will reopen and resume all hospital services, including emergency and outpatient services, on Oct. 2, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
4. Linville, N.C.-based UNC Health Appalachian has 17 outpatient clinics open Oct. 3, but its Elk River Medical in Banner Elk, N.C., remains closed, according to its website.
5. HCA Healthcare’s Mission Hospital in Asheville, N.C., remains without water and said it could be months before water is restored, NBC reported. HCA has dug a well at the facility to help provide it with water. Surgeries have been delayed due to a lack of clean supplies and road closures that have prevented staff from arriving for their shifts, Healthcare Dive reported.
6. All 22 hospitals in western North Carolina have had their power grid restored, NC Health News reported.
7. Shriners Children's Hospital Greenville (S.C.) will remain closed through Oct. 6 due to damage from Helene. The hospital is unable to reschedule appointments or surgeries due to technical outages, Fox Carolina reported.
8. Unicoi County Hospital in Erwin, Tenn. suspended operations and evacuated patients after the hospital flooded. It will remain temporarily closed until further notice.