FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2024
CONTACT: [email protected]
Clearwater, Fla. – The Florida Hospital Association (FHA) announced today the launch of an inaugural Emergency Management roundtable series in collaboration with the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM). These roundtable discussions aim to enhance coordination among local hospitals, state and local emergency management professionals and other health care organizations throughout the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.
“By convening Florida hospitals and emergency management officials in these roundtable discussions, we are fostering a proactive and unified approach to emergency preparedness – before, during and after storms,” said Mary C. Mayhew, president and CEO of FHA. “These sessions will help us better understand and address the unique challenges our hospitals and health care facilities face, so that together we can meet the greatest needs of our communities in times of crisis.”
“I thank the FHA for taking the initiative to connect hospitals and emergency management officials statewide and identifying ways to best serve Floridians in times of disaster,” said FDEM Executive Director Kevin Guthrie. “Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Florida leads the nation in emergency response, and these roundtable discussions build upon FDEM’s efforts to increase communication amongst all stakeholders throughout hurricane season and beyond for a more resilient Florida.”
The Emergency Management roundtables will focus on collaboration among the public and private sectors to:
- Preserve critical health care infrastructure to maintain access to care for the community before, during and after a storm.
- Support critical lifelines and resources within the health care sector, which may include supporting pharmacies, dialysis clinics, long-term care facilities, special needs shelters and more.
- Provide data and share information to make informed decisions about patient and staff safety during medical surges, patient movement and other events.
To learn more about FHA’s Emergency Management resources and to get the latest updates when disaster strikes, visit https://bitly.fha.org/EmergencyManagement.
ABOUT THE FHA
Founded in 1927, the Florida Hospital Association (FHA) is the leading voice for health care in the State of Florida. Through representation and advocacy, education, and informational services, the Florida Hospital Association supports the mission of over 200 hospitals and health care systems to provide the highest quality of care to the patients we serve. Led by President and CEO Mary Mayhew, the Florida Hospital Association is located in Tallahassee and is governed by a Board of Trustees and officers elected by the member institutions.
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