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Hospitals and healthcare facilities begin reopening after Hurricane Milton

Hospitals and healthcare facilities begin reopening after Hurricane Milton

Hospitals, emergency rooms and healthcare facilities across Florida are reopening after patients were evacuated and elective surgeries were canceled due to Hurricane Milton.

BayCare health system said some of its outpatient surgery centers, imaging centers, laboratories, urgent care facilities and group medical offices will open Friday, according to an update on its website.

Of the 13 hospitals, 12 are open and only one, Morton Plant North Bay Hospital, remains closed. The hospital was evacuated before the storm and is not currently accepting new patients, BayCare said.

Four HCA Florida Healthcare network emergency rooms in Julington Creek, Lake Tarpon, New Tampa and Riverview reopened to care for patients Friday, according to an alert posted on the network’s website.

Six of HCA Florida’s 18 hospitals reopened Thursday, but at least five remain closed as their services have been suspended and, in some cases, patients have been transferred to other hospitals.

Workers tear down a water fence at Tampa General Hospital on October 10, 2024 in Tampa, Florida.

Jefferee Woo/Tampa Bay Times via ZUMA Press Wire via Newscom

Additionally, in the latest tropical weather advisory from the University of Florida Health (UF Health) Thursday afternoon, a number of facilities – including hospitals, outpatient clinical facilities and physician offices – have reopened or lifted their modified hours on Thursday and Friday, including in Archer, Gainesville, Jacksonville , St. Augustine and The Villages.

Tampa General Hospital (TGH) said in a news release that two of its emergency centers reopened Thursday evening and the main hospital resumed normal operations Friday.

The hospital said its physicians and emergency management team members remained on-site during the storm and the emergency room on the main campus was able to remain open thanks to an activated hurricane preparedness plan.

“Preparing for Hurricane Milton was an incredible effort by the entire team and a real test of our resources, but it ensured that we continued to provide exceptional care to our patients in a high quality, safe and uninterrupted manner before, during and after Hurricane Milton “Storm,” John Couris, president and CEO of TGH, said in a statement.

“Tampa General is open to supporting the affected communities and especially our first responders. Together we will come back from Milton stronger than ever before,” the statement continued.

TGH said there were no major power outages during Hurricane Milton and its AquaFence, a waterproof barrier, protected the hospital from wind and flooding. The hospital has previously stated that AquaFence can withstand storm surges of up to 15 feet above sea level.

There are still hospitals that remain temporarily closed. In a post on the social platform excluding time-sensitive clinical services due to the expected impacts of Hurricane Milton.”

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