HCA Healthcare has enhanced the organization's dedication to providing valuable support for patients across the nations through the organization's new initiative to support long-term care facilities. The new initiative supplies long-term care facilities with staffing assistance, protective equipment sourcing, testing guidance, as well as comprehensive facility infection control and recovery toolkits.

While many patients may have been concerned to receive an organ transplant during COVID-19, Greg Pruitt felt comfortable receiving a heart transplant from Largo Medical Center, an HCA Healthcare-affiliated facility. As the Largo Medical Center took enhanced precautions throughout the facility, Greg Pruitt observed increased safety measures that made his decision to receive the transplant quick and easy.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) May 2020 Hiring Situation surprised economists, revealing that 2.5 million jobs were regained last month, significantly higher than the 7.5 million job loss anticipated. The gains come as the economy has begun to open up across the country and the initial economic shock of COVID-19 appears to have stabilized. That said, many economists still believe the road to economic recovery will be long. The unemployment rate edged down to 13.3%. 

Within the healthcare sector, 312,400 jobs returned, with gains seen primarily in offices of physicians, healthcare practitioners and dentists. Jobs within ambulatory care settings grew by 375,700, however hospital payrolls fell by 26,700.

Three months in to the pandemic, we find ourselves in the middle of Mental Health Month, observed annually in May. The circumstances of COVID-19 leave many grappling with isolation, anxiety and fear. There has never been a more important time to monitor your mental well-being and that of your loved ones. At HealthTrust Workforce Solutions, we are proud to stand with HCA Healthcare for the mental health of patients – and – for our more than 280,000 colleagues. Learn more below…

This past week, in the midst of a global pandemic, we've paused to celebrate Nurses Week 2020 and the 98,000 nurses across the HCA Healthcare enterprise, a proud partner of HealthTrust Workforce Solutions. While the last several weeks have challenged all of us, there have been shining examples of perseverance, resilience, teamwork, and even celebration. As we round out this annual salute to nurses, eight brave colleagues reflect on what they’ve experienced, the decisions they’ve made and the COVID-19 moments that have defined them. 

As the nation continues to face the largest economic crisis in almost a century, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) April 2020 Hiring Situation revealed that the economy lost 20.5 million jobs last month, leading the unemployment rate to skyrocket to 14.7%. This is the highest rate seen since World War 2. The data reflects the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and efforts to contain it.

Amid the worst public health crisis in American history, more than 1.4 million healthcare jobs were lost last month, primarily in ambulatory healthcare services as dental and physician offices closed and elective surgeries came to a halt (-1.2M). Hospital payrolls were down 139,000.

The Report also revealed that if millions of Americans who have been furloughed and expect to return to their jobs are counted, the jobless rate would have almost 5 percentage points higher at nearly 20%.

In the seven weeks since the virus shut down much of the U.S. economy, more than 33 million people have applied for unemployment benefits, as the numbers continue to grow by several million a week.

The world has changed, but the core of our nurses has not. Our daily lives have been upended, but our nurses stand up, show up and give patients the compassion and care they need and deserve.

The World Health Organization (WHO) designated 2020 as the “Year of the Nurse,” and while this designation was announced prior to COVID-19, we cannot think of a better time to honor and recognize nurses for their commitment to the profession. Just like Florence Nightingale did 200 years ago, our nurses lean in and are a light in the darkness. You continue to compassionately and selflessly serve humanity and your valuable contribution will have saved the world.

New Digital HCA Healthcare Magazine with Special COVID-19 Feature: Voices from the Frontlines

The latest edition of the HCA Healthcare Magazine celebrates how colleagues create healthier tomorrows for our patients, communities and each other. In addition to the print magazine, which were mailed to colleagues’ homes this past week, you may now read expanded and interactive content via the recently launched digital HCA Healthcare Magazine. 

As one of the nation’s leading healthcare providers, HCA Healthcare is committed to helping overcome COVID-19. We are proud to leverage our scale and resources during this pandemic to help others by contributing up to 1,000 ventilators to the Dynamic Ventilator Reserve, a public-private collaboration announced at a recent White House briefing. 

HCA Healthcare’s chief executive officer, Sam Hazen, met with the president and healthcare executives at the White House on April 14.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important we pull together. In keeping with our commitment to the care and improvement of human life, HCA Healthcare is leveraging our resources, in conjunction with the federal government and other hospital systems, to help others across the nation.  HCA Healthcare will provide as many as 1,000 ventilators as part of the American Hospital Association’s collaboration with the federal government and health systems to distribute this critical piece of equipment to hospitals experiencing a surge of patients with COVID-19.

Problem: The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has made social distancing and isolating in our homes the new normal. As a result, people need new ways to access health care.

Solution: Expand HCA Healthcare’s telehealth capabilities to support the rapidly evolving challenges of our clinical staff to meet the needs of our patients in response to COVID-19.

Across HCA Healthcare, our telehealth capabilities are enabling a more efficient and safer way to deliver care. Fortunately we already had a strong foundation of using telehealth in our facilities. Our experience ranges from delivering life-saving care to stroke victims by connecting neurologists to emergency department (ER) physicians, to providing emergent psychiatry consultations to deploying remote monitoring for solid organ and bone marrow transplant patients, all via secure, bidirectional audio/video telehealth capabilities.