Registered nurses from West Valley Medical Center will deploy to Florida in the coming days to contribute to the recovery efforts following the destruction wrought by Hurricane Irma. HCA Healthcare, West Valley's parent company, operates approximately 44 hospitals in the state. The deployed West Valley team will relieve HCA's Gulf Coast Division staff who have been on the front lines of this disaster for many days.
The local team - consisting of two emergency department registered nurses, will serve a two-week assignment, at which time HCA will evaluate the need for additional volunteers in the Florida area. HCA also continues to support colleagues in Houston and Corpus Christi as they recover from the unprecedented effects of Hurricane Harvey. Currently, West Valley has a team of five caregivers in the Houston area. About 90 West Valley employees have volunteered to deploy over the next few weeks or months as needed.
In addition to sending staff, HCA has donated $1 million to the American Red Cross and up to $1 million in matching funds for employee donations to the HCA Hope Fund. The HCA Hope Fund is an employee-run, 501(c)(3) charity that provides financial aid and resources to employees after extended illness, injury, disaster or other special situations. In 2016, West Valley staff donated more than $29,000 to support their coworkers in times of crisis. Local staff members also have the option to donate their vacation time to colleagues coping with the devastation this record-breaking flooding has had on their personal lives.