Leaders at Butler (Pa.) Memorial Hospital had a very "compacted timeframe" to prepare for its role in treating former President Donald Trump after an assassination attempt July 13, Thomas Chakurda, chief marketing officer of Independence Health, the system that owns the hospital, told Becker's.
After being shot in his right ear, the former president was taken 11 miles from his campaign rally in Pennsylvania to the hospital.
"Once that notification was made, we simply began enacting the protocols and procedures that we have in place to address the situation that was occurring…" Mr. Chakurda said.
He said he was not aware of exactly what information the hospital first learned, other than it would be receiving the former president as a patient, but clinicians quickly began assembling to treat Mr. Trump for his injury.
"We're exceedingly proud of how our organization galvanized and responded to this situation. And that pride is very deeply rooted. You have to remember, however, that you know these plans are in place to respond to extreme events 365 days a year, 24 hours a day," Mr. Chakurda said. "There was a nuance to these plans because we clearly were treating a patient of stature, which warranted that we discuss our plans with the Secret Service, which we did…but overall, I can't stress enough how proud we were of our entire organization's response, and especially the staff in the emergency department, but it's tempered by the tragedy of the situation overall."
The hospital's chief medical officer was not available for comment, but Mr. Chakurda noted that in addition to treating the former president for a gunshot wound over the weekend, the larger community of Butler, Pa., is still reeling from losing a local firefighter who was part of the "tightly-knit community" he said.
The deceased victim, Corey Comperatore, 50, flung himself on his family to shield them from the gunfire, but ultimately lost his own life. Other victims were taken to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.
"This occurred in our backyard, and in a community that is so tightly-knit, so the loss of someone that many in the community knew is happening for us in addition to the national tragedy that involves an attempted assassination of former President Trump," he added.
The shooting occurred just 18 days after the U.S. surgeon general declared gun violence a public health crisis. Mr. Chakurda declined to comment about the growing problem of gun violence and its impact on hospitals throughout the country.