241: When disaster strikes: Evacuating Unicoi hospital
On September 27, 2024, Ballad Health was forced to evacuate 70 people from the rooftop of a small community hospital in rural Tennessee after Hurricane Helene caused a freak flash flood. This week, Lisa Carter, President of Ballad Health’s Southern Region, joins Radio Advisory to recount the events of that day, reflect on the decisions and challenges she faced as a leader during the crisis, and share why every healthcare organization needs to think differently about climate-related disaster preparedness.
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Show Notes
On September 27, 2024, Ballad Health was forced to evacuate Unicoi Hospital in rural Tennessee due to a freak flash flood caused by Hurricane Helene. After two failed rescue attempts, an aerial operation managed to successfully airlift all 70 people who were trapped on the rooftop of the small community hospital.
In an era where extreme climate events are increasingly common, more healthcare leaders are being forced to reckon with the reality of leading through natural disasters. This week, Lisa Carter, President of Ballad Health’s Southern Region, joins Radio Advisory to recount the events of that day, reflect on how they tested her leadership, and underscore why we can’t rely on our “old normal” when it comes to disaster preparedness.
Links:
- Homepage | Ballad Health
- Healthcare and climate change: Why sustainability is a strategic imperative
- Ep. 219: The business case for going green
- Ep. 164: Boston Medical Center's path to sustainability (and how they're funding it)
- Ep. 161: Unwavering purpose, the creation of Ballad Health
- 3 ways to engage and motivate your team in uncertain times
Learn how the Advisory Board Fellowship can equip leaders to lead in an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world.
In this episode we featured audio clips from CBS News, ABC News, and NPR. You can find the full segments here:
- New wildfires erupt in Southern California
- Historic winter storm across the Deep South - YouTube
- Hospitals face months of IV fluid shortages after Helene damages N.C. factory : NPR
A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.