HCA FL Healthcare at Home

As HCA Healthcare recognizes Mental Health Awareness Month this May, learn how were supporting the mental well-being of our colleagues, patients and the communities where we serve.Caring for our colleaguesAt HCA Healthcare, we believe excellent people make excellence happen. Thats why we provide our more than 309,000 colleagues with programs, benefits and resources designed to support their overall well-being, and strive to foster a culture of inclusion that allows colleagues to thrive.One Mind at Works Salus Award for workplace mental healthIn May, HCA Healthcare was recognized by One Mind at Work with a 2024 Salus Award, named after the Roman goddess of safety and well-being, for exemplary efforts in workforce mental health. HCA Healthcare is a Founding Corporate Partner of the Mental Health at Work Index which was created by One Mind at Work, Columbia University Mental Health + Work Design Lab and Ethisphere.In preliminary results of the Index that was launched to the public in May 2023, HCA Healthcare scored above target in all categories, especially for the mental health resources we provide to all colleagues, such as Nurse Care and Optum Behavioral Health.The results that weve gotten back from the Index helped us bolster some of the things we already do internally, such as our Mental Health and Wellness Colleague Network, which is the fastest-growing network across the organization, shared Ryan Sledge, vice president of workforce health and safety at HCA Healthcare. The assessment provided us with an opportunity to do more and do better as an employer and as a healthcare system.Mental Health and Wellness Colleague NetworkSince launching HCA Healthcares Colleague Networks program in 2021, our colleague-led, self-directed, voluntary networks have helped strengthen our culture of belonging by facilitating connection, collaboration and celebration among colleagues. The Mental Health and Wellness Colleague Network is one of nine groups and provides our colleagues with a safe community and supportive network to come together to learn and talk, in this case about mental and emotional health. The network strives to reduce the stigma and stereotypes often associated with mental health and promote awareness, hope, acceptance and individual empowerment.Nurse CareNursing is often a very rewarding profession, yet also extremely challenging. In recent years, the industry-wide nursing shortage, pandemic and other headwinds have impacted nurse mental health in ways never seen before. At HCA Healthcare, nurses lead the way for care excellence across our organization, and we are committed to supporting their health and well-being in many ways, including through our Nurse Care program.Our full-time and part-time hospital-based nurses have specialized support services available through Nurse Care, a confidential 24/7 helpline that connects nurses to a masters level professional specifically trained in the unique needs of caregivers. There is no cost to HCA Healthcare nurses to use unlimited Nurse Care services. The administration of Nurse Care transitioned to Optum in 2023, and nurses can now find online support in addition to the helpline.Optum WellbeingThrough our partnership with Optum, colleagues and members of their immediate household may receive up to eight free counseling sessions per topic each year. Therapists are available to discuss stress and anxiety, drug or alcohol use, grief, divorce, financial concerns and other topics in person, via phone or through text. Optum also offers free Wellbeing Wednesday webinars and a free WorkLife referral service to help colleagues find local resources like child, elder and pet care as well as adoption support, education resources and transportation services.The Wellbeing Hub, a one-stop website where colleagues can find all of the support resources available to them, had more than 51,000 visitors in 2023.Health Workforce Well-Being DayIn March, HCA Healthcare recognized the inaugural Health Workforce Well-Being Day, which was established by the National Academy of Medicine Collaborative and founding partners including the CDCs National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation.To recognize the importance of protecting health workers well-being to sustain our health system and ensure quality patient care around this day of awareness, HCA Healthcare hosted a BRAVE Conversation available to colleagues across the organization on the topic of well-being in the workforce. Launched in 2018, BRAVE Conversations is an award-winning program that offers our colleagues a space to have a conversation about complex and challenging topics that are Bold, Relevant, Authentic, Valuable and Educational.As a psychiatric nurse with over 25 years of experience, I know how important mental wellness is for both our patients and our colleagues, shared Dr. Amy Rushton, vice president of behavioral health at HCA Healthcare and chair of the Mental Health and Wellness Colleague Network. The day of awareness is a time to remind yourself that the only way you can care for others is to care for yourself. Physician Wellness Research LabOne way were extending our commitment to colleague well-being beyond competitive benefits and a care-first culture is through our Physician Wellness Research Lab, developed in partnership with Claremont Graduate University. Colleagues in our Physician Wellness Research Lab work alongside a team of organizational psychologists and researchers to understand and improve the health and well-being of physicians and healthcare teams.Dr. Greg Guldner is a nationally recognized leader in well-being and one of the architects of the Physician Wellness Research Lab. Dr. Guldner is also the vice president of academic affairs for HCA Healthcares Graduate Medication Education program. The research expertise and positive organizational psychology insights provided by the wellness research lab combined with the robust scale of our GME program allows for unparalleled research and growth opportunities, Dr. Guldner shared. Together, we will be able to help create and foster a future with a focus on mental well-being for those who have dedicated themselves to the care and improvement of human life.The lab has conducted three year-long studies of HCA Healthcare residents with a focus on variables such as psychological capital, meaning in work, autonomy supportive leadership, burnout and depression. The Physician Wellness Research Lab aims to provide resources to increase help-seeking among resident physicians.Caring for our patientsWith more our 186 hospitals supported by approximately 2,400 ambulatory sites of care in 20 states and the United Kingdom, HCA Healthcare is a leader in behavioral health. We leverage the knowledge and data from more than 270,000 annual behavioral health patient encounters to support our care teams including psychiatrists, nurses, advanced practice nurses, therapists and mental health technicians   in making positive advances in patient care.HCA Healthcares Behavioral Health Services team provides a purpose-driven network of inpatient, outpatient, pediatric, adult, geriatric and specialty services to meet the unique behavioral health needs of each patient. With 58 inpatient facilities and more than 200 outpatient programs across 17 states, we are proud to have one of the countrys most connected networks of behavioral health treatment centers.Millions of people in the U.S. are affected by mental illness each year, and recognizing the critical link between physical and mental well-being is key to normalizing discussion around mental health, said Eric H. Paul, president of Behavioral Health Services at HCA Healthcare. It is our job to provide high-quality care for our patients and show them that they are not alone in their journey.Therapy animals provide comfort for patientsThe cold nose and warm heart of Posey is a bright light for patients at HCA Healthcares Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children in Denver. She is one of the many therapy animals across our organization known as a four-legged healer. Posey knows over 40 commands and can pull toy wagons, push drawers closed and retrieve all kinds of items. Most importantly, she interacts with our pediatric patients in a calming way to encourage them throughout their medical journey.These pet therapy programs are highly beneficial for patients, but we also recognize that these therapy experiences can be just as beneficial for our colleagues.Caring for our communitiesAt HCA Healthcare, we are committed to breaking down barriers and stigma associated with mental health by teaming up with several community and strategic partners.According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 1 in 6 U.S. youth (ages 6 to 17) experience a mental health disorder each year. That is why we have collaborated with EVERFI by Blackbaud (EVERFI) and the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) to empower youth to normalize conversations surrounding mental wellness and develop skills to take care of themselves and others.EVERFIIn 2020, HCA Healthcare and EVERFI came together to make an impact in the mental wellness education space for middle and high school students. Through the course, Understanding Mental Wellness, as well as other community education events, EVERFI aims to encourage students to identify mental health challenges and help others in need.Since its inception in 2020, the program has reached more than 219,000 students nationwide. Nearly 3,000 teachers have used the program to teach students essential skills to identify their emotions and ask for help.Girl Scouts of the USAIn 2023, the HCA Healthcare Foundation and Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) launched a new Mental Wellness Patch Program for girls in grades 4-12 that includes:Knowing My Emotions for Junior Girl Scouts (grades 4-5)Finding My Voice for Cadette Girl Scouts (grades 6-8)Showing Up for Me and You for Senior/Ambassador Girl Scouts (grades 9-12)The GSUSA Mental Wellness patch programs, developed in partnership with NAMI and the GSUSA Program Advisory Committee, including HCA Healthcare behavioral health experts, are currently available to all councils nationwide.With this program, girls and their caregivers have the opportunity to learn about different mental health conditions, how to identify stressful situations, different types of self-care, developing coping skills, using kind and inclusive language and how to ask for help when they or others need it. Through this patch program, we are instilling confidence in these girls and fostering strength and hope. Over 16,000 patches have been earned to date.

Welcome to the Power of Partnership, a new series that celebrates the incredible organizations that HCA Healthcare is collaborating with to give people a healthier tomorrow. Through our strategic partnerships and community-based relationships, we strive to actively engage and serve as anchor institutions in our communities.HCA Healthcare and the American Heart Association have a longstanding history of supporting one another dating back to the 1980s and founder, Dr. Thomas Frist. The Middle Tennessee Chapter of the American Heart Association even presented Dr. Frist with a life membership to the organization, acknowledging his involvement and service.In 2022, the American Heart Association launched the Getting to the Heart of Stroke initiative, developed in conjunction with and supported by HCA Healthcare and the HCA Healthcare Foundation.Getting to the Heart of Stroke features several efforts focused on the important connection between heart and brain health in identifying risk factors and preventing future stroke, especially in communities with increased health disparities:Educating and deepening the collaboration between health care professionals, especially in neurology and cardiologyEmpowering consumers to know and better manage their stroke risk, including through the use of a new stroke self-management tool, along with greater engagement with patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AFib) through the Associations MyAFibExperience patient support networkImproving the overall health of communities by addressing disparities through local health impact workWorking closely with thought leaders in healthcare, including those from HCA Healthcare, the American Heart Association is developing accredited educational programming that will be available to all healthcare professionals, and a specific learning collaborative with 10 HCA Healthcare facilities focused on continuously improving the quality of care:Chippenham and Johnston-Willis Hospitals (Richmond, Virginia)HCA Florida JFK Hospital (Atlantis, Florida)Medical City Plano (Plano, Texas)Methodist Hospital (San Antonio, Texas)Mission Hospital (Asheville, North Carolina)HCA Florida Ocala Hospital (Ocala, Florida)TriStar Skyline Medical Center (Nashville, Tennessee)St. Davids Medical Center (Austin, Texas)Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center (Las Vegas, Nevada)Swedish Medical Center (Englewood, Colorado)Steven Manoukian, MD, FAHA, FACC, FSCAI, senior vice president, HCA Healthcare, was a key part in creating and launching Getting to the Heart of Stroke. In celebration of his efforts in this collaboration, as well as his achievements in cardiovascular and stroke patient care, the American Heart Association has chosen to honor Dr. Manoukian as their 2024 Healthcare Volunteer of the Year.In my opinion as a cardiologist, there is no organization better than the American Heart Association when it comes to supporting the progress being made with cardiac and neurologic care and conditions. It was a logical vision to work with the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association to solve patients and providers needs, while doing something good for the communities we serve.Steven Manoukian, MD, FAHA, FACC, FSCAI, senior vice president, HCA Healthcare

If youve ever been a patient at one of HCA Healthcares more than 2,400 sites of care, theres a chance that youve benefitted from the skill, kindness and compassion of one of our more than 99,000 nurses.  During National Nurses Week, we invite you to read a few stories about how nurses inspire our patients and impact healthcare everywhere.Texas nurse cares for premature babies in the same NICU that cared for himThe compassionate care Eric Hsiao received shortly after he was born at 34 weeks at St. Davids North Austin Medical Center in Austin, Texas has come full circle. Today, he is proud to serve sick and premature babies and their families as a nurse in the same neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) that cared for him.Growing up in Austin, Eric held a lifelong passion for making a difference in the lives of others. This dedication led him to pursue a career in healthcare and during a nursing school rotation in the St. Davids HealthCare NICU, Eric had an epiphany moment. Inspired by the care he and his family received years ago, Eric felt called to dedicate his life to helping other premature babies and their families in similar circumstances.I may not be here if it werent for St. Davids [HealthCare] and the NICU nurses. To be able to be a part of this community, give back and play that same role for other parents and families in that same situation that my family was in is really rewarding.Eric Hsiao, NICU Nurse, St. Davids North Austin Medical CenterEric proudly works in the Level III NICU alongside neonatologist, Dr. David Breed, who cared for Eric when he was a preemie. Erics experiences as a patient give him an added layer of empathy and understanding. Eric remains profoundly grateful to serve at St. Davids HealthCare where his NICU journey began.Surprise hospital graduation ceremony for North Carolina nurse goes viralAt HCA Healthcare, we foster a culture of lifelong learning and continuous professional development. Throughout their careers, many nurses choose to pursue education opportunities to drive innovation in patient care delivery and to expand their leadership skills.Danielle Elle Fox, a labor and delivery clinical nurse coordinator, has served patients at HCA Healthcare affiliate Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina since 2018. I feel incredibly supported by the team on L&D, from scrub techs, patient care techs, CNAs, nurses, doctors its everyone on the floor, said Elle. I work with the very best team.In pursuit of enhancing her leadership capabilities, Elle embarked in a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree program. When it came time for her Masters graduation last month, Elle decided that she wasnt going to travel to the ceremony several states away even though she was named valedictorian. But that didnt stop her Mission Hospital colleagues from throwing her a surprise hospital graduation ceremony to celebrate her achievements.When Elle was called to her unit desk for an emergency, she was met by her colleagues who had made her a graduation cap, gown and chords. Fellow nurses and other members of Elles hospital family lined the hallway of her unit and encouraged her to walk as they cheered and clapped.  A video of the surprise graduation ceremony has since gone viral on TikTok, amassing over 5.5 million views.Elle shared that she did not have any regrets about not attending her formal graduation ceremony. There is nothing I would have changed other than having my husband, kids and family witness the sweetest graduation on my unit in person. I would much rather be celebrated by close friends than thousands of people I dont know, said Elle. We helped bring a lot of babies into the world that day, and I was right where I was supposed to be. Elle has been accepted to Johns Hopkins University and will be working toward a doctorate in nursing.A family tie: Mother inspires children to join the medical fieldBecki, Abby and Cade Lawhorne hold a strong bond not just because they are family, but because they work together caring for patients at HCA Healthcares Reston Hospital Center in Reston, Virginia.Becki, a veteran healthcare professional, joined HCA Healthcare as a labor and delivery nurse at StoneSprings Hospital Center in 2016. Her daughter, Abby, worked as a scribe in the emergency department at Reston Hospital Center before her mother joined the facility. Today, Becki serves as Reston Hospital Centers assistant chief nursing officer. [My daughter] says I followed her, Becki explained. I couldnt wait to come here for the opportunity to grow professionally and the ability to get to know more people. It is so rewarding to be a part of a bigger work family.Inspired by her mothers nursing career, Abby is pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Chamberlain University while serving as a nurse extern at Reston Hospital Center to gain hands-on experience. The youngest Lawhorne, Cade, has always had a passion for working with others and joined Reston Hospital Center as a transporter in February 2024.Abby and Cade are proud to work in the same hospital as their mother and follow in her footsteps. I tell [my mom] all the time that she is my favorite person and my greatest inspiration, Abby shared. When people say I resemble her, it is the best compliment I could ever receive.Becki holds immense gratitude for the opportunity to see her children grow and discover their calling at Reston Hospital Center.To my children, you inspire me every day to be a better person than I was the day before. Thank you for allowing me to guide you down a path to care for others and our community.Becki Lawhorne, assistant chief nursing officer, StoneSprings Hospital CenterMothers stroke experience motivates nurseFor HCA Healthcare nurse Frandella Pierrebrown, director of medical and surgical services at HCA Florida Westside Hospital, inspiration to pursue a career in nursing was deeply rooted in her personal experiences as a young child.As a caregiver and advocate for her late mother who battled chronic illness and passed from a stroke at the young age of 37, Frandella witnessed firsthand the vital role nurses play in patient care. It was through these transformational experiences that Frandella was called to continue caring for others through nursing.At the bedside of her mother, Frandella realized the opportunity nurses have to bridge gaps in care with compassion and understanding while they deliver quality healthcare with expertise and skill. My experiences led me to want to be the best possible advocate and caregiver for others in their time of need, Frandella shared.Frandella puts her care philosophies into action every day at the 210-bed Plantation, Florida hospital, which is certified by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration as a Comprehensive Stroke Center and by The Joint Commission as a Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center.As she carries her mothers memory within her heart, Frandella is dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of others not only through the care she provides as a nurse but also through stroke prevention education within her community.Nurses personal non-Hodgkins lymphoma journey drives commitment to oncology patientsHCA Healthcare nurse Makayla Claussen cares for stem cell transplant patients at the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at TriStar Centennial Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. She helps support patients undergoing the same treatment she received during her own battle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Makaylas personal cancer journey drives her commitment to her patients and adds a unique layer of understanding to the care she has been providing as a nurse for six years.  I know personally what it feels like to be a cancer patient, Makayla stated. I am a nurse because I have been there and these patients become my best friends.Patients often travel a considerable distance for specialized cancer care and must remain near the hospital for 30 days after a stem cell transplant for vital monitoring. Consequently, they frequently opt to stay at nearby hotels. Last summer, many CAR T-Cell therapy patients were staying at a local hotel when a bad storm occurred resulting in power outagesinclusive of internet access, key card use and elevators.Makayla often uses remote technology to connect with her patients through video streaming and to monitor vital signs. With potential communication barriers, Makayla went the extra mile to ensure her patients were safe by driving to the hotel and climbing seven flights of stairs to provide care. Makayla continued her duties with compassionate care and good humor, said one of her patients.In August of 2023, Makayla celebrated her one-year anniversary in her role as the first clinical nurse coordinator in the hospitals outpatient infusion center. Her TriStar Centennial Medical Center family also helped her celebrate another meaningful milestone that month 10 years of cancer remission.When asked about her first year in this role, Mikayla shared, I have found joy in learning and helping grow the role. I love that I can still work with patients and also advocate for both patients and the team.Kansas nurses save a fellow plane passengers lifeOur colleagues desire to care for others often extends beyond the walls of our hospitals. Two Menorah Medical Center nurses recently answered the call for help at a Kansas airport when they heard an urgent request for medical help over the intercom while boarding a flight for their vacation.Fellow passenger Jim Grasser was planning to travel to Las Vegas when he collapsed on the jetway bridge. That is when nurses Meghan Pope, manager of the hospitals critical care unit and telemetry, and Ellyssa Coble, director of nursing operations, jumped into action. Meghan immediately started chest compressions while Ellyssa ran the code and helped get other passengers at bay and away from the passenger.As Meghan became concerned that CPR was not enough for Jim, another passenger shouted that she had an AED and could lend assistance. When she heard the fellow passengers voice, Meghan couldnt believe her ears and then eyes as Menorah Medical Center colleague and patient care technician Jamie Glynn sprinted their way.Without missing a beat, Meghan and Jamie began working in tandem, completing one round of compressions and administering an AED shock, which brought the patient back to life. Shortly after, EMS arrived and transported Jim to the nearest hospital where he received additional medical attention for his condition.We look forward to seeing Jim again, and letting him and his wife, Kathy, know how happy we are that hes alive, said Meghan. The three of us have known each other for so long, which makes this so special. Although we had no idea Jamie was on our flight, its not surprising to me that she would step forward with the life-saving AED. What we did that day is something we do daily. We dont consider ourselves heroes we were in the right place at the right time.Meghan and Ellyssa started their Menorah Medical Center (intensive care unit) ICU careers during the same month nearly 10 years ago. Their relationship was solidified when they realized they were woven from the same cloth and shared the same passion for learning and growing as nurses: they are their best selves when working together, caring for the most vulnerable and critical patients.Florida nurse grows her career with HCA HealthcareHCA Healthcare nurse Camilla Inzerilli is celebrating her first official National Nurses Week this year, but she is no stranger to the hospital that she serves.Camilla was born at HCA Florida Brandon Hospital on October 11, 1991. She spent her childhood walking the hallways of that same hospital, admiring the dedication of two special members of its workforce her father and mother. And, she celebrated her 21st birthday by joining the HCA Florida Brandon Hospital as a unit secretary.Inspired by the dedication of the nurses around her, Camilla decided to pursue a career in nursing. What nurses often want to do is leave nursing better than when they found it. And, I know that Camilla is not only going to do what Ive done in nursing, but shes going to take it to a whole new level, said Angela Lewis, a nurse leader with HCA Healthcares West Florida Division. She knows how to connect with people, which is foundational to the principles of nursing. All it takes is one smile, one nice thing, to make a patient feel safe and cared for.Camilla received support with higher education expenses through HCA Healthcares tuition reimbursement program and participated in our Specialty Training Apprenticeship for Registered Nurses (StaRN) program, which allows new graduates to obtain acute care nursing experience through an intensive paid internship.People always ask me why I want to be a nurse, Camilla reflects. I want to be a nurse so that I can be good to people. I want to make a difference. Camilla started officially as a nurse on October 1, 2023 on the same unit where her mom worked prior to her retirement. Happy first National Nurses Week, Camilla!Caring like family is a family affair  Inside the walls of HCA Healthcares Lees Summit Medical Center, Chief Nursing Officer Paige Baker works to inspire, lead and collaborate with the nurses throughout the Missouri hospital. The integral role she plays inside the hospital parallels an equally important role in her family: mother.Paige has always been drawn to caring for others for as long as she can remember. However, Paiges career officially began 33 years ago on the night shift in the halls of HCA Healthcare sister-facility Research Medical Center. She worked night shifts before progressing her career to become a charge nurse, nurse manager, director and then chief nursing officer with the assistance of HCA Healthcares tuition reimbursement benefits before moving to Lees Summit Medical Center. I still get excited walking through the halls of the hospital, Paige shared. I love watching new nurses gain confidence and excel in their role and experiencing the difference we make in our patients lives.Her desire to care for others is something she is proud to have passed along to her two daughters, Casey Tribble and Carley Baker. Today, Casey is a nurse practitioner at HCA Healthcare affiliate Midwest Heart and Vascular Specialist in Kansas City. She took the first step toward following in her mothers footsteps to pursue a nursing career by obtaining a degree from HCA Healthcares Research College of Nursing. Carley has been a patient care tech for the past four years at the same hospital as her mother and has aspirations to become a nurse through Research College of Nursing.It is extra special watching my girls grow into their own nursing roles. Ive had patients stop me when they put together the connection to make sure I know how special my girls are. There is no bigger pride than knowing your daughters share your passion for nursing and are as equally dedicated to the care and improvement of human life. I wont be surprised if this passion will carry on in the next generation as my 6-year-old granddaughter already tells me she is going to be a nurse just like her MiMi, Mommy and Aunt Carley.Paige Baker, Chief Nursing Officer, Lees Summit Medical CenterColorado nurse receives powerful letter of gratitude from patients familyReceiving thank you letters from patients and their families has a lasting impact on HCA Healthcare nurses. Kind words often serve as motivation to keep innovating and advocating for our patients.From the first breath of life to a patients final days, our colleagues remain committed to caring for patients with compassion, respect and dignity. Claire Schneider, a surgical specialty unit clinical nurse coordinator at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colorado, was recognized with a DAISY Award during National Nurses Week 2024 for the way she stood alongside a patient in her final days, while also comforting her loved ones.Please read the moving, unedited testimonial we recently received from a patients daughter about the care that Claire provided: My mom was admitted to the 9th floor on March 15th, 2024. After a week of tests, challenging conversations and heartbreaking discoveries, my mom was transitioned into hospice care. Im writing today to celebrate an exceptional professional who walked alongside our family as we navigated this unimaginable difficult time. Claire Schneider is an angel on Earth and has been an exemplary nurse; artfully balancing empathy with professionalism, consistently going above and beyond to make sure my moms care is top notch while also ensuring my dad and I feel cared for, informed, and empowered as decision makers. Here are just a FEW examples of how Claire blew us away during our 4-week stay:1) During a rapid response, she engaged me in the process of treating my mom to hold the oxygen mask on her and talk to her. This made me feel useful and engaged and allowed me to be close to mom in a really, really scary and life-changing moment. Claire made me feel like an important part of the team.2) Post PET scan, when mom was dry-heaving, Claire brought us peppermint oil-soaked gauze to hold by mom- what a creative way to treat a symptom outside of the traditional medical paradigm. Uniquely brilliant! 3) Even when Claire was not working, she checked in with staff to make sure we were taken care of (I know boundaries are important and so does she), even sending dad and I comfort trays.4) Claire flawlessly coordinated moms complex care, making sure all Swedish staff and hospice staff were informed and collaborating well- such an underrated skill in this field!5) Claire printed out copies of my moms heartbeat for my dad and I. There are no words that are sufficient in describing how much this gesture and all of the love and care Claire gave us means to my family.We are eternally grateful for Claires compassion, creativity, dedication, proactive approach and deep empathy in her treatment of my family as we endured the last excruciating weeks of my mamas life. Mom loved Claire and dad and I consider her a part of our family now. Please celebrate Claire in the way she deserves!To nurses across HCA Healthcare, thank you for providing the quality and compassionate care that makes a difference for everyone we serve.

Welcome to Meet the Innovators, a series of stories profiling the leaders and frontline change agents working in and withHCA Healthcares Care Transformation and Innovation(CT&I). Learn how they got where they are and how they are helping to build the future of patient-centered care. Meet LauraLaura Bermudez, Assistant Vice President, Change Management and Communications, Care Transformation and Innovation (CT&I)Weve all been there when an upcoming change is announced. You need to learn a new technology or process, work with a new team or do something different. How did that go? Did you feel included and supported? Did you feel uncomfortable or reticent? How did that affect your experience and what was the outcome? These are all questions Laura asks herself when experiencing a change. She also is committed to asking these questions to others, to ensure they and their organizations are successful while operating in an environment of innovation and change.Transformational change in the healthcare space requires positive influence, the right science and strategic resources, but most importantly, listening to the voices of our care team members. Since her childhood days, change has been central to Lauras being. Her upbringing instilled in her an appreciation for change on many levels: she is fluent in Portuguese, spent considerable time with extended family in Rio de Janeiro during her youth and has lived on both U.S. coasts, the Midwest and now Nashville. Frequent moves pushed her out of her comfort zone to meet new people, try new things and gain appreciation for the value of doing things differently even when its hard or uncomfortable. Her ability to navigate change and to help others do so is in her DNA.For Laura Bermudez, these formative experiences ingrained in her a deep appreciation for different people and perspectives, laying the foundation for her future with HCA Healthcare as associate vice president of change management and communications for our department of Care Transformation and Innovation (CT&I).Rooted in medicine, career moves lead to healthcareLaura was raised by a mother and father who were both dedicated physicians, and their passion for medicine played a pivotal role in her development. Her parents enthusiasm for their work fueled Lauras desire to find a profession to which she could be equally dedicated. My mom and dad really inspired me to find a career that I was passionate about, so it wouldnt feel like work. Doing something I would be excited to wake up and pursue every day was my key objective, she says.Lauras educational journey took her to Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she initially intended to become a secondary education teacher. A class on team dynamics, however, sparked a new interest. I was intrigued by the concept of organizations as living, breathing organisms and the impact that people have on organizational cultures and outcomes, she explains. That realization led her to switch majors to Human and Organizational Development, a decision that would dramatically shift her intended career path.Post-graduation, she explored the retail and financial industries, where she gained valuable experience in team dynamics, leadership, managing change, customer service and organizational growth. Laura solidified her niche while spending seven years with a professional services company, leading multi-industry organizational change management initiatives with a focus in organizational design, stakeholder engagement and leadership alignment.In 2015, Laura was offered an opportunity to leverage her organizational change management background in a sector that was familiar, yet professionally challenging at HCA Healthcare. I tend to be intrigued by and gravitate toward the hard problems to solve, Laura explains. The issues facing healthcare today are complex and multifaceted. That, combined with my family connection, made the move feel like a natural fit.Her initial role evolved over time, ultimately leading her to an opportunity to impact how people experience change across HCA Healthcare with the launch of CT&I in 2021. In the past three years as CT&Is AVP of change management and communications, she has driven tremendous growth around change capabilities, nurturing our leaders and facilities ability to lead change themselves and delivering a successful communications strategy to support these efforts.Transforming healthcare through successful change managementDr. Alex Stinard reviews Augmedix notes at UCF Lake Nona Hospital in Orlando, Florida.Under the leadership of Dr. Michael Schlosser, senior vice president of Care Transformation and Innovation, the CT&I team is continuously working to innovate and develop healthcare solutions that improve the care experience for both patient and provider. Fundamental to the success of any CT&I technology or process initiative is partnering with our clinicians, keeping their voices front and center. Lauras change management and communications team does this as they support a growing list of innovative solutions aimed at digitally transforming care delivery and removing administrative burden from care team members.Among the growing list of technology solutions currently supported by Laura and the CT&I change management and communications team are Timpani, Augmedix Go and Nurse Handoff.Timpani scheduling and staffing solution is a clinical labor management platform designed to deliver more transparent and balanced schedules for HCA Healthcares care team members. With Timpani in place at nearly 50 HCA Healthcare facilities to date, plans are in place for implementation at nearly 90 additional locations by the end of 2025.Augmedix Go is an ambient medical documentation tool designed to help physicians more quickly and easily document key medical information from conversations during patient visits. The pilot is currently underway with approximately 80 emergency room physicians at four HCA Healthcare facilities.Nurse handoff, an AI-driven technology solution designed by our nurses for nurses in collaboration with Google Cloud, distills the most relevant patient data identified by nurses into an auto-generated report. With more than 60,000 nurse handoffs occurring daily across all HCA Healthcare facilities, this tool aims to support seamless, streamlined nurse-to-nurse handoffs during shift change. Proof of concept testing and pilots for the nurse handoff tool are taking place at four HCA Healthcare hospitals, with 89% of participating nurses rating the tool as helpful.Adopting new technologies is consistently challenging for organizations across any industry, and Dr. Schlosser sees change management as the key ingredient to ensuring HCA Healthcare succeeds in its transformation journey. His perspective is that when new technologies end up sitting on the shelf or getting worked around, design flaws are not typically the pain point. The point of failure is when organizations dont put the right effort into driving the changes required to implement new technologies or processes. Laura believes an organization can offer the best solutions in the world, but if adoption and utilization are never realized, the desired outcome will never be achieved. She says, We know our leaders and care team members have a lot on their plates every day and, within CT&I, we see our ourselves as responsible for ensuring the people impacted by anything were doing are well supported and equipped to be successful.Related article: Meet the Innovators: Emergency medicine physician leverages innovative technology and AI to make life better for patients and providers HCA Healthcare TodayElbow to elbow partners in changeThe collaborative partnerships CT&I has established with HCA Healthcares Innovation Hubs are what enable the organization to deliver on its goal to transform healthcare. Innovation Hubs, based inside of HCA Healthcare hospitals, provide a living environment for CT&Is work.Change happens at the local level, so connecting with care teams and leaders directly at the hubs through an iterative discovery, design and testing process to get candid feedback on what is both exciting and challenging about specific changes allows Lauras team to embrace learning at the individual level that can be scaled across the entire enterprise. Laura very much exemplifies the CT&I approach, which entails our team embedding with the end users our care team members, explains Dr. Schlosser.Through the relationships Laura and her team have developed, we are able to hear and learn directly from the end users of new products, adds Dr. Schlosser. They are elbow to elbow with our doctors, nurses and leaders. This is how we will continue to build our transformative technology solutions.Navigating the challenges of changeLauras innovative approach to change is characterized by a deep understanding that, while change is complex, navigating it must be relatable to those involved. She defines change management as an intentional discipline that supports and equips people to realize organizational success and outcomes.One of the hardest parts of being in the healthcare transformation space is taking complex, often ambiguous subject matter and distilling it into something simple and tangible, she admits. This step is critical, though, to getting our stakeholders to appreciate and buy into the importance of the people side of change. Because Laura loves a challenge, this ability to simplify complexity while keeping the end users voice front and center is a hallmark of her leadership style.Dr. Schlosser says about Lauras key strengths, Her focus on stakeholder engagement and leadership alignment has been key to driving successful change, challenging existing mindsets and practices within the organization. She is incredibly good at bridging the gap between theory and actually implementing change management strategy on a product-by-product and hospital-by-hospital basis.While the speed and scope of change increases across the healthcare landscape, it is paramount that HCA Healthcare continues to build its enterprise-wide aptitude for change. Ultimately, the future requires change to be everyones job, not a separate exercise limited to project teams and specialized practitioners. Building the change management mindset and skillset alongside our colleagues is the key to transforming healthcare.Advice from the innovatorChange is inevitable for organizations and their people. With the guiding force of capable change management leadership at the helm, organizations are well-positioned to not just survive but thrive. With HCA Healthcares commitment to the care and improvement of human life comes constant evolution of healthcare delivery to better meet patient needs. And that, of course, means change.Lauras vision for the future of change management at HCA Healthcare is centered on building what she calls change athletes people who know how to participate in change and build that muscle by practicing often. Laura offers this piece of change management wisdom to all present and future agents of change:Focus on how you and others can actively participate in change versus passively receiving it. By improving the way our people influence and experience innovation, we will be best positioned to change healthcare for the better.Laura Bermudez, Assistant vice president, Change Management and Communications,Care Transformation and Innovation

Dear Nurses,May 612 marks National Nurses Week 2024, a time when we celebrate nurses everywhere who offer critical expertise and compassion across all healthcare settings.At HCA Healthcare, more than 99,000 nurses are foundational to all we do and key to delivering on our commitment to provide the best possible care for patients. We say it often, but it bears repeating: Nursing is the differentiator for HCA Healthcare. You are leading the way for healthcare excellence and innovation, whether in our hospitals, virtually or at one of our more than 2,400 other sites of care.Thank you for everything you do all year long to care for our patients and communities!The last few years have been challenging for the nursing profession at large. Today, at HCA Healthcare, our nursing workforce is back stronger than ever before in fact, we have more nurses today than we did pre-pandemic. In 2023, we recruited more than 116,500 colleagues, including 37,500 bedside nurses. We also made significant progress with employee retention and reduced turnover through training, issue resolution and targeted investments intended to help colleagues do their best work. This workforce stability is pivotal for many exciting things to come, from expanded clinical education opportunities to best practice sharing to new innovations designed to make your jobs better.Were grateful for nurses every day. This National Nurses Week, wed like to share a few reasons why and highlight how you lead the way at HCA Healthcare.Dedication to patientsFirst, we want to thank you for your unwavering dedication to our patients. In 2023, HCA Healthcare was responsible for more than 43 million patient encounters  made possible by the hard work, deep expertise, kind hearts and positive attitudes you bring to work every day. While its exciting to honor our Units of Distinction each year, we know that all of our care teams work tirelessly to care for patients, from nurse leaders to bedside nurses to virtual nurses.Care-first cultureThank you for fostering our care-first culture. You support each other and work together to meet any challenge. You also help to ensure everyones voice is heard, and please know we value your feedback. The voice of the nurse is a critical component of our ability to provide the best possible care for patients, and its something we believe sets nursing apart at HCA Healthcare. Its why we have nurse leader representation at all levels of the organization, and resource councils that give nurses a direct voice in capital investment allocation. Its also how were able to best support you, for example through the development of our new clinical nurse coordinator (CNC) tool designed with your direct feedback to help unit leaders better manage your teams work and well-being.Commitment to growthWe also want to recognize your commitment to growth. Our team is bringing you more resources to build capacity and competency, and your response has been inspiring. Last year, we announced more than $300 million in investments to support the education and training of nurses through new HCA Healthcare Centers for Clinical Advancement and the expansion of Galen College of Nursing. Also in 2023, more than 5,000 HCA Healthcare colleagues were enrolled in Galen programs, and we distributed approximately $10 million to assist colleagues in our Nursing RN-to-BSN program.Our educators and resource nurses are doing incredible work onboarding and supporting new nurses, and the new Centers for Clinical Advancement will give more of you access to simulation training to help bridge the gap between classroom and bedside. Our experienced nurses continue to grow your careers with advanced certifications and leadership training.Empowered LeadershipLastly, we want to thank you for your leadership. No matter what your role as a nurse, we believe that all of you, as the heart of our organization, are leading the way forward. We believe in your power and potential, and your ability and authority to make change. You advocate for patients and support your teams growth and well-being in truly inspiring ways.Were proud of how many of our leaders started as staff nurses and grew into the accomplished leaders they are today. Were proud of how many of our chief nursing officers were promoted from within, in almost every case last year! And were proud of all nurses who lead every day, mentoring new care team members, collaborating with caregivers across the organization and taking charge of patient care in ways that only you can.As you know, a healthcare system is only as good as its care teams, and you help make ours are the very best. Our promise is to always put you at the forefront of care, to listen to you, to invest in your careers and do whatever we can to support you. Thanks to you, we continue to push patient care forward, and we appreciate everything you do for your patients, your colleagues and your communities!Sincerely,Sammie Mosier, DHA, MA, BSN, NE-BCSenior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive HCA HealthcareErica Rossitto, MBA/HCM, BSN, RN, NEA-BCSenior Vice President, Assistant Chief Nurse Executive and Chief Nurse Executive, Atlantic GroupHCA HealthcareKelli Nations, DBA, MHA, BSN, RN, NE-BCVice President and American Group Chief Nurse ExecutiveHCA HealthcareNatalie L. Ransom, DNP, RN, CENP, NEA-BCVice President and National Group Chief Nurse ExecutiveHCA Healthcare

Welcome to Meet the Innovators, a series of stories profiling the leaders and frontline change agents working in and withHCA Healthcares department of Care Transformation and Innovation(CT&I). Learn how they got to where they are, and how they are helping to build the future of patient-centered care. Meet JessicaJessica Woods BSN, RN, C-EFM, Labor and Delivery Unit Manager, TriStar Hendersonville Medical CenterLittle did seven-year-old Jessica know that sliding in socks through her familys kitchen would lead to a life-altering event, one which would birth a career dedicated to exceptional patient and family care. On that day in a flurry of activity, she bumped into her mother, who was carrying a pot of hot water from stove to sink. The boiling water sloshed over the pot, scalding Jessicas leg and leaving her with second-degree burns. Thanks to the care she received from doctors and nurses, Jessicas first emergency room experience planted the seeds of compassion and service in her.As Jessica grew, she developed a deep understanding of and appreciation for healthcare work through relationships with her grandfather and great-uncle. Jessicas grandfather worked at a mental health facility in Nashville, Tennessee. At the same time, her great-uncle served as the State of Tennessee Health Commissioner and even signed Jessicas birth certificate. She watched her grandfathers active involvement in the healthcare community and admired how he meticulously monitored his health and that of others.During her high school years, Jessicas beloved grandfather was diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer. He shared his exceptional patient experience and outstanding interactions with his nurses, who always ensured his comfort.Jessica took her grandfathers patient experience to heart, which would inform her own professional mantra to always leave patients better than she found them and to advocate for, listen to and support anyone in her care.After earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Jessicas first healthcare role was as an obstetrics postpartum nurse technician. Her dedication to creating healthier tomorrows for moms and babies led to a career at HCA Healthcares TriStar Hendersonville Medical Center in Tennessee. By March 2017, Jessica Woods, BSN, RN, C-EFM was promoted to  manager of the hospitals labor and delivery unit.Blending care with technologyFor Jessica, care is at the heart of all she does. In OB, nurses care for patients on some of the best and most difficult days of their lives. As a mother, her experiences from delivering her own children have instilled a natural empathy in caring for expectant mothers during these critical moments, a humble honor and responsibility for Jessica. Recognizing the significance of this important time in new mothers and families lives, she celebrates many new babies birthdays daily.Jessica is a visionary leader, said Jan Alexander, RN, director of The Birth Center at TriStar Hendersonville Medical Center. The patient and family are at the heart of why she does what she does. Whenever she tours a patient around The Birth Center, she said There are two days that are really important: the day you get married and the day you have your baby. Those are the days you remember your entire life. Thats the patient-first passion she leads by with a heart dedicated to quality.I think all of our care team members aim to make these days one of the most special experiences a patient can have, said Jessica. Who doesnt love a birthday? I think if you walk into the room with that type of positivity and a joyful spirit, people will meet you there. It helps patients and families work through their nervousness because they feel reassured that were with them every step of the way.Jessicas passion for healthcare is balanced with a never-ending curiosity about technology. Throughout her formative years, Jessica was an innovator at heart: her father ensured their family had the newest television or video camera, allowing them to tinker and figure out how things worked as technology evolved. This curiosity propelled her further into the inner workings of the healthcare world. She is drawn to technology and its potential work applications, considering how they can benefit her team and benefit patients. With 15 years of experience in the nursing field, she recognizes technology is key to reenergizing nurses.Related article: HCA Healthcare collaborates with Google Cloud to bring generative AI to hospitals (HCA Healthcare Today)Shaping maternal care solutions for the futureLess than three years ago, TriStar Hendersonville Medical Center became one of HCA Healthcares Innovation Hubs, an entire hospital dedicated to innovation. Jessica and care teams there work hand-in-hand with the CT&I team to develop and test emerging technology solutions to determine how they can better support delivery of excellent patient care.In recent decades, the United States maternal mortality rate has been among the highest of any developed country. As part of HCA Healthcares longstanding commitment to perinatal safety, we use data from the more than 212,000 babies delivered annually across our care network to identify opportunities to improve outcomes. We develop and scale new policies and best practices to improve pre-natal, natal and post-natal care.Now, HCA Healthcares CT&I team is leveraging augmented intelligence and technology to test solutions to support labor and delivery clinicians in their quest to improve maternal safety.At her hospital, Jessica is working to test technology designed to prevent labor complications such as hemorrhage, identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a leading cause of maternal mortality. Using a mobile device app, the technology identifies potential blood loss during delivery and postpartum care.Jessicas team at TriStar Hendersonville Medical Center is also testing another tool that uses data points from multiple sources, such as IV pumps, the patients electronic medical record (EMR), bedside monitors and other devices. It is designed to alert clinicians so that they can more quickly intervene with potentially life-saving treatment for mothers. The AI-powered technology aims to provide clinical decision support that incorporates clinical algorithms to guide evidence-based practice for severe hypertension, postpartum hemorrhage and oxytocin management.Using this kind of technology at the bedside also creates conversations between care team members, patients and their families. Jessica notes, When were testing this technology at the bedside, our patients and their families are engaged and asking questions. Were able to have a dialogue with them about our facility as an Innovation Hub, and how we are leveraging technology to deliver a high standard of care.Jessicas critical thinking, expertise, innovative spirit and willingness to solve problems helps inform what our labor and delivery care teams are learning today. She understands the need to identify risk, communicate about it and take timely action. This is the future of maternal fetal care, said Whitney Staub-Juergens, DNP-HSL, MSN, RN, NE-BC, vice president, CT&I Clinical Operations & Integration.Related article: Meet the Innovators: a nurses journey from the bedside to clinical transformation leader (HCA Healthcare Today)Patient-first passion for innovationImportantly, CT&Is mission is not only to develop and test new technologies, but to work closely with care team members like Jessica to gather feedback to improve upon them. Jessica notes that, historically in healthcare technology innovation across the industry, care teams were handed new tools or resources and expected to figure out how to implement and optimize them on their own. The CT&I approach is quite different, in that the team begins with pain points for care team members, develops solutions around them and then works with the team to optimize technologies that support workflow. For example, the CT&I team sat in on multiple C-section procedures this year to better understand nurses work and apply those learnings to deliver better solutions that improve patient care in that setting.While Jessica continuously pursues opportunities to improve and innovate, her mission-focused values remain squarely aligned with making todays miracles tomorrows memories for her patients.Above all, Jessica is excited for the future, knowing that she and the CT&I team will continue to seek and deliver innovative solutions to improve healthcare. Her passion for the work she does is only heightened with new tools and resources that make it easier to provide top-notch care and enhance the nursing experience.Advice from the innovatorAfter reflecting on recent challenges the healthcare industry faced due to the pandemic, Jessicas enthusiasm for improving care with innovative solutions reached new heights.As an Innovation Hub, we have a real opportunity to think differently and consider how much healthcare has changed over the last three years on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jessica shares. I am driven to return to the drawing board and go beyond how things have always been done to make things better.Jessica is a determined role model for nurses to embrace change and use different ways of working at the forefront of innovation. She intentionally creates space for innovation and transformation, and encourages her team to embrace it too.Part of our culture of innovation and nature as nurses is to be curious and ask questions. My team is constantly asking, How can we help? How can we make this better? Its very exciting to have access to innovative tools, resources and initiatives to get us back to the bedside and provide an ideal care experience for the patient and nurse as well.Jessica Woods, labor and delivery unit manager, TriStar Hendersonville Medical CenterWhen balancing the daily operations of a fast-paced unit like the Birth Center at TriStar Hendersonville Medical Center with innovation initiatives, Jessica has words of wisdom for nurse leaders and care team members.Dont give up when its hard and frustrating, Jessica said The beautiful part of innovative work is that its challenging and uncomfortable but rewarding at the same time. Innovation may change programs and processes youve always known, but it is about making our work better, faster and more intuitive, allowing us more time with patients and families to positively impact their lives and leave them better than we found them.

We are proud to announce our sixth annual Crush the Crisis national prescription drug take back day on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. This year, 133 HCA Healthcare facilities across the country will partner with local law enforcement to help communities safely and anonymously dispose of unused or expired medications.Held each year, in alignment with the Drug Enforcement Administrations (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, HCA Healthcare holds Crush the Crisis events to raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug misuse and the importance of proper disposal of unused or expired medications. Last year, more than 120 HCA Healthcare facilities from all 15 U.S. divisions helped to collect 13,136 pounds, equivalent to approximately 9 million doses, of unused and expired prescription medications. Since launching Crush the Crisis as an enterprise initiative in 2019, HCA Healthcare has helped collect more than 67,500 pounds of medication. Take back events, like Crush the Crisis, support the essential work of curbing the nationwide issue of prescription drug misuse. As we go into our sixth year, I am proud of our ongoing work as an organization to support our community needs today and help shape a healthier tomorrow. To further help combat the nations opioid crisis, HCA Healthcare has worked with the National Academy of Medicines (NAM) Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic. HCA Healthcare uses data from approximately 43 million annual patient encounters to help continuously improve care. The organization uses the science of big data to help reduce prescription drug misuse and transform pain management, with initiatives in surgical, emergency and other care settings, including:Enhanced Surgical Recovery (ESR): a multi-modal approach to pain management using pre, intra and post-operative interventions to optimize outcomes. HCA Healthcares ESR programs have demonstrated significant improvements in surgical recovery and patient satisfaction, including decreases in opioid usage.Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS): aims to stem increasing rates of opioid-related addiction, misuse diversion and death by making it more difficult for medication-seekers to doctor-shop and alter prescriptions. Physicians have access to aggregated electronic health records, providing data to help them prescribe opioids judiciously. 

Each year, HCA Healthcare recognizes our more than 309,000 colleagues for the commitment, compassion and care they show for our patients by observing Patient Experience Week. As the week comes to a close, were highlighting the facilities that received recognition for their patient care this year and sharing stories of how our caregivers continually go above and beyond to make the patient experience the best it can be.Press Ganey Human Experience AwardsPress Ganey, a leader in Human Experience (HX) improvement, announced recipients of the Press Ganey Human Experience Awards in January 2023, recognizing healthcare organizations across the United States committed to excellence in experience for their patients, workforce and the communities they serve. Human Experience Award recipients included 29 HCA Healthcare hospitals.Guardian of Excellence Award The Guardian of Excellence Award honors organizations that perform in the top 5% of healthcare organizations for patient experience, employee engagement, physician engagement or clinical quality performance in one year. This year, the following 23 HCA Healthcare facilities were named Guardian of Excellence Award recipients for patient experience: Corpus Christi Medical Center Bayview (Inpatient Behavioral Health) in Corpus Christi, Texas Del Sol Medical Center (Outpatient Oncology) in El Paso, Texas Doctors Hospital of Augusta (Outpatient Oncology) in Augusta, Georgia Frankfort Regional Medical Center (Inpatient Behavioral Health) in Frankfort, Kentucky Grand Strand Medical Center (Outpatient Oncology) in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina HCA Florida Lake City Hospital Cancer Center (Outpatient Oncology) in Lake City, Florida HCA Florida Kendall Hospital (Inpatient Behavioral Health) in Miami, Florida HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital (Inpatient Behavioral Health) in Fort Pierce, Florida HCA Florida Mercy Hospital (Outpatient Oncology) in Miami, Florida HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital (Inpatient Behavioral Health) in Sarasota, Florida HCA Florida University Hospital (Emergency Department) in Davie, Florida HCA Houston Healthcare Southeast (NICU) in Pasadena, Texas HCA Houston Healthcare West (Outpatient Oncology) in Houston, Texas Heart Hospital of Austin (HCAHPS and Inpatient) in Austin, Texas Highlands-Cashiers Hospital (Emergency Department) in Highlands, North Carolina Methodist Hospital I Specialty and Transplant (Inpatient Rehabilitation) in San Antonio, Texas Methodist ER Alamo Heights (Emergency Department) in San Antonio, Texas Reston Hospital Center (NICU) in Reston, Virginia Retreat Doctors Hospital (Inpatient Behavioral Health) in Richmond, Virginia Terre Haute Regional Hospital (Outpatient Oncology) in Terre Haute Texas Orthopedic Hospital (HCAHPS and Inpatient) in Houston, Texas TriStar Centennial Medical Center (CH CAHPS) in Nashville, Tennessee TriStar StoneCrest Medical Center (Outpatient Oncology) in Smyrna, Tennessee Pinnacle of Excellence Award The Pinnacle of Excellence Award recognizes Press Ganey clients who have maintained consistently high levels of performance for three years, with the highest-performing organizations winning in each category. This year, six HCA Healthcare facilities were named Pinnacle of Excellence Award recipients: College Park Endoscopy Center (Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery CAHPS) in Overland Park, Kansas Frankfort Regional Medical Center (Inpatient Behavioral Health) in Frankfort, Kentucky HCA Florida Largo Hospital (Inpatient Behavioral Health) in Largo, Florida HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital (Inpatient Behavioral Health) in Fort Pierce, Florida St Lucie Surgery Center (Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery CAHPS) in Port St. Lucie, Florida TriStar Centennial Medical Center (CH CAHPS) in Nashville, Tennessee Learn more about the annual Press Gainey Human Experience Awards on their website.Patient experience storiesTo colleagues across HCA Healthcare, thank you for standing for accessible, high-quality healthcare delivered with compassion, integrity and kindness. Below, we share a few of our favorite stories that showcase our workforces commitment to providing healthcare that puts people first.Couple says I do with the help from nursing staffLess than a month before Preston Cobb planned to wed his fianc Tanesha in their dream ceremony, a severe chemical spill accident threatened to derail their special day. Preston was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at HCA Healthcare affiliate Joseph M. Still (JMS) Burn Center at Doctors Hospital of Augusta in Georgia. With life-threatening burns on 32 percent of his body, Preston had to be on a ventilator and ultimately required more than 15 surgeries.Despite the setback, the couple was determined to still wed on their original wedding date July 22, 2023. Theres nothing that would stop me from marrying him, Tanesha said. Nothing. I knew that this day would come. I didnt think it would be like this.When JMS Burn Center nurse Mary Cook learned of the couples pending nuptials, she was inspired by their dedication and commitment to each other. She set out to give the couple a wedding theyd cherish forever. Working with care teams across the hospital, Mary ensured all the details were taken care of including a DJ, decorations, flowers, a wedding cake and a photographer.I know a lot went into planning his original wedding. I thought if I could do this for him, it would keep his spirits up and give him hope to hold on to because his road to recovery will be tough. I just wanted to give him and his family something positive.Mary Cook, Nurse, JMS Burn Center at Doctors Hospital of AugustaOn the couples original wedding date, Preston and Tanesha beamed with happiness as they were wed in the hospitals chapel surrounded by friends, family, and Prestons nursing staff.Caregivers hold a graduation for 8-month-old patient following a successful surgeryHCA Healthcare patient Wyatt Zeruth is all smiles despite being in and out of the hospital since he was born in August of 2023. Wyatt was born with a bilateral cleft lip, a birth defect that affects thousands of babies born each year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Sarah, Wyatts mother, learned about his birth defect during an anatomy scan when she was 20 weeks pregnant and excited to see her babys development. She recalls a flurry of emotions from shock and even sadness when she learned of his diagnosis. Sarah was then referred to Dr. Sanjay Patwardhan at HCA Healthcare affiliate Summerville Maternal Fetal Medicine. Things shifted for Sarah when she first laid eyes on her son after his birth. She remembers the first words out of her mouth, My beautiful, perfect boy.At 13 days old, Wyatt had his first appointment with Dr. Michelle Ruse, a maxillofacial prosthodontist at Trident Medical Centers Head and Neck Specialists. The two developed a special bond during phase one of his care while Dr. Ruse helped Wyatt prepare for his procedures. Dr. Ruse used a technique called nasoalveolar molding (NAM) to non-surgically reshape Wyatts gums, lips, and nostrils with a plastic plate. This helps make the cleft less severe and often decreases the number of required surgeries.After successfully completing his first surgery in phase two of his treatment to repair the right side of his lip, Wyatts care team was eager to celebrate his success and bravery. They decided to throw Wyatt a graduation, complete with a cap and gown8-month-old Wyatt recently underwent his second surgery to repair the left side of his lip and has another surgery scheduled for this fall. We are forever grateful to her[Dr. Ruse] and her team, Sarah shared.Wyatts care team will continue to cheer Wyatt on as they pass each milestone in his care journey.Patients celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary with help from hospital staffOn the morning of his 60th wedding anniversary, Bob Price worried that he would be unable to celebrate the milestone with his beloved wife. Both Bob and his wife Mary were patients in different units at HCA Healthcares Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence, Missouri.Lauren Kupersmith, director of food and nutrition services at the hospital was delivering Bobs breakfast when she learned of this special day.Bob shared with me how he first met his wife, what she was wearing, how amazing it was to raise seven kids together and how he wished he could see her today, on their anniversary, Lauren said. Bobs story was so heartfelt, it brought tears to my eyes, when I left his room, I knew I needed to do whatever it took to make sure they saw each other on their anniversary.Lauren worked quickly, pulling in the couples case managers, nursing teams and the nutrition staff, to not only arrange a visit, but to provide a special lunch for the couple.The menu included sirloin steak, potatoes au gratin, herb-roasted green beans and bread pudding for dessert.Seeing Bob and Mary come together on their 60th Anniversary was beyond beautiful. It brought the biggest smile and a few tears to my eyes and those around. I was so happy to have played a part in their special day and I wish Bob and Mary continued love and health in the years to come!Lauren Kupersmith, director of food and nutrition services, Centerpoint Medical CenterCaregivers become family for NICU patient and parentsSpending baby Shilohs first birthday in a hospitals neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is not how his parents expected to celebrate when they learned they would be adding a boy to their family. However, after being born prematurely at 29 weeks with a chronic lung injury and a hole in his heart, Shiloh needed around-the-clock specialized care.Due to Shilohs diagnosis, he was transferred to HCA Florida University Hospital in Davie, Florida, where he could have surgery to repair his congenital heart defect, patent ductus areriosus (PDA), which caused a hole in his heart. Before reaching a year old, Shiloh needed heart surgery, a tracheotomy and a gastrotomy tube procedure so he could receive the nutrition he needed.Shilohs family found themselves on a scary and unexpected journey with one young son at home and another in the hospital over two hours from their home. Shilohs care team stepped up to reassure and comfort them throughout his medical care journey. Because of this, his family quickly formed a lifelong bond with Amanda Rich, his nurse. I remember the first day I met Amanda, shared Lomieka Messam, Shilohs mother. I knew I was going to like her because of her calm, humble and gentle spirit.To celebrate Shilohs first birthday, Amanda and the rest of his care team worked with his family to plan and decorate for the party, equipped with everything from balloons to a cake. To make the day extra special, Dr. Thomas Campo the cardiopulmonary director at HCA Florida University Hospital obtained an Elmo costume so Shiloh could have a surprise birthday visit from his favorite TV character. The birthday boy was all smiles as his family and the care team celebrated together.It was inspiring to see how a close-knit team of NICU nurses, neonatologists and respiratory therapists worked so well together to afford Shiloh and his family the best outcome, considering how it all began, Dr. Campo shared. We are blessed and honored to have been able to make such a difference in not only his life, but the lives of everyone who loves and cherishes him.After Shiloh was discharged from the hospital, Lomieka felt compelled to share gratitude with the HCA Healthcare nurse for all that she did for her family. Below, we share an excerpt from Lomiekas letter to Amanda:Amanda, thank you for being a part of this journey with us, for encouraging me when I had doubt, for believing in us when we were uncertain about being able to care for Shiloh when he got home and just for simply loving on our Shiloh with your unwavering dedication, exemplary skills and compassionate care. Its not just your clinical expertise that distinguishes you, but your ability to connect with us on a personal level, providing me with comfort and reassurance during my most vulnerable moments. Trust me when I say that your kindness and empathy do not go unnoticed and it made a profound impact in Shilohs care.Lomieka Messam, Shilohs motherPatient delighted with surprise barbershop quartet performanceHCA Healthcare patient and Delaware native Mike Frances was excited to spend a week exploring Nashville, Tennessee during the holiday season with his wife. They had a full itinerary with tours across the city, which included seeing the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium and most anticipated the Barbershop Harmony Society Headquarters. This was at the top of Mikes to-do list as he had been a chapter member and active barbershop singer since he was 16 years old.However, a medical emergency derailed the couples entire trip and Mike was admitted to HCA Healthcares TriStar Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee. When hospital colleagues learned about Mikes initial itinerary for his trip, they extended a bit of southern hospitality and made a few phone calls to organize a surprise.On Mikes last day at the hospital, he received a visit from the Nashville Music Medics. The group is a community outreach program that provides comfort, joy and music to patients in the hospital in and around Nashville. Working with Mikes care team, the Nashville Music Medics were able to pull together a quartet so that Mike and his family wouldnt have to return to Delaware without hearing live music. With joy apparent across Mikes face during the performance, the barbershop quartet invited him to sing along. The performance made Mike excited to return to Nashville one day to see what more Music City has to offer.Nurses help patient witness a once-in-a-lifetime eventOn the afternoon of April 8, much of the United States paused to head outside and witness the solar eclipse. However, inside HCA Healthcares Lees Summit Medical Center, there was a patient waiting for a nuclear medicine outpatient procedure. While watching news coverage of the event on the television, the patient told her nurses, Cammie and Keisha, that it would likely be her last chance to see the phenomenon and how she was disappointed to miss it.The two nurses, who have been caring for patients at the Lees Summit, Missouri hospital for more than 50 combined years, didnt think twice about making their patients wish come true. In no time, they took her outside in a wheelchair, sharing their eclipse glasses and searching the sky together.Cammie and Keisha said their only goal was to make the patient happy, turning the wait for what would have been a routine procedure into a memorable patient experience.

Did you know someone in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 seconds? Stroke is a leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of serious disability for adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is also preventable and treatable.So, what exactly is a stroke? A stroke occurs when part of the brain is cut off from blood and oxygen due to a blood clot or broken blood vessel. In just minutes, strokes can cause lasting brain damage, and delayed treatment increases the risk of permanent disability and death. Knowledge of stroke risk factors and symptoms is crucial to reducing the likelihood of and improving the outcome of a stroke.The American Heart Associations Getting to the Heart of Stroke initiative, developed in conjunction with HCA Healthcare and the HCA Healthcare Foundation, focuses on preventing, treating and beating stroke by:Providing nationwide consumer and healthcare professional education.Deepening collaboration between neurology and cardiology.Equitably empowering communities to improve health outcomes.With individualized health education efforts in 15 local communities across the U.S., the initiative highlights the powerful connection between heart and brain health.Whats good for the heart is good for the brain, but the reverse is also true: problems with the heart, including AFib, are well-documented as major stroke risk factors, says Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. To effectively combat stroke, we need to work together and elevate the heart-brain connection among health care professionals, while simultaneously addressing health disparities and resource gaps in our communities. We are not a one-size-fits-all nation, and neither is the most successful approach to public health.Know your risk of strokeStroke prevention starts with knowing the risk factors that increase the likelihood of having a stroke. Identifying the underlying cause of a stroke is also crucial to preventing subsequent strokes. Common risk factors include obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, alcohol or drug abuse, or heart disease. If you have any of these risk factors, it is important to discuss them with your doctor to manage and reduce your chance of stroke.For example, patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation are up to five times more likely to experience a stroke. The American Heart Associations patient support network, MyAFibExperience, empowers individuals to better understand and manage their stroke risk.As part of the Getting to the Heart of StrokeTM initiative, the American Heart Association will work alongside the HCA Healthcare Foundation and HCA Healthcare to implement community education as well as professional education focused on identifying stroke risk factors projected through the lens of equitable health for all.Working closely with thought leaders in healthcare, including those from HCA Healthcare, the American Heart Association will also develop accredited education programming that will be available to all healthcare professionals, and a specific learning collaborative with 10 HCA Healthcare facilities focused on continuously improving the quality of care.We are proud to be collaborating with the American Heart Association, says Dr. Steven Manoukian, HCA Healthcare senior vice president and Fellow of the American Heart Association. Within both organizations, we recognize that increased education and connectivity between our neurology and cardiology health care teams, patients and communities are integral to reducing the devastation of stroke, determining its underlying cardiac causes, such as AFib and structural heart disease, and preventing future strokes. Through this unique and multi-faceted initiative with the AHA, everyone will become better at Getting to the Heart of Stroke.Know the signs of strokeWhen a stroke occurs, getting treatment fast is crucial to decreasing the long-lasting effects of stroke. The signs of a stroke can be thought of with the acronym, BE FAST. Here are the symptoms that could mean you or your loved one is having a stroke:Balance or the inability to maintain coordinationEyes or the inability to see out of one or bothFace that is drooping on one sideArms or the inability to raise one or bothSpeech or the inability to repeat a simple sentenceAnd if you or someone around you is experiencing the symptoms above, it isTime to call 911 and seek emergency care.HCA Healthcare has a long history of prioritizing and working to continually improve patient safety. This includes reducing our average door-to-needle time to 33 minutes, which is faster than the national standard for stroke care.Share with your communityIn order to beat stroke, we must decrease stroke for every member of our communities. HCA Healthcare and the HCA Healthcare Foundation are dedicated to advancing health equity and bettering stroke care in all patient subsets, including all races and ethnicities. Some patient subsets, such as Black and Hispanic/Latinx populations, face additional barriers to identifying and treating stroke risk factors, receiving thorough assessment and finding follow-up stroke care.Getting to the Heart of StrokeTM addresses health disparities like this through local health impact work and community education in areas including womens health, high blood pressure management, nutrition security and tobacco/vaping prevention.You can make a difference in your community by sharing your knowledge of stroke care and prevention with others. By sharing the resources in this article, along with additional resources provided by the American Heart Association, American Stroke Association and the Getting to the Heart of StrokeTM initiative, with your family and friends who may be at risk for stroke, you can help save lives.Missouri stroke survivor shares his storyHCA Healthcare patient and stroke survivor Danny Goldammer is alive today because his wife quickly recognized the signs of his stroke and dialed 911. It all started when Danny called for his wife, Lindsay, who is a nurse at HCA Healthcares Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri.At first, Lindsay didnt notice anything wrong at first. Everybody knows hes very much a jokester, and so when he looked at me and said, The sky is green eggs and ham, I just started laughing, Lindsay told KSHB-TV. I said, Youre joking with me, youre messing with me. And then he said, I cant feel my left side.'Lindsay immediately assessed him for a stroke and called the emergency telephone number.HCA Healthcare patient and stroke survivor Danny Goldammer received a life-saving blood clot removal at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri.Danny received a life-saving blood clot removal within 11 minutes of arriving at Research Medical Centers Level 1 Trauma Center and Comprehensive Stroke Center, which is equipped to handle the highest and most complex stroke symptoms.Dr. Ashish Kulhari, a neurologist and Dannys doctor at Research Medical Center, explained that while it is unusual for a 35-year-old like Danny to have a stroke, its not impossible to have a stroke that young. Dr. Kulhari said damage to a blood vessel led to Dannys stroke. Thats one of the most common causes of having a stroke in young patients because otherwise usually theyre healthy, he said. They dont have the regular risk factors of high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol.In the months that followed, Danny experienced short-term memory loss, vision loss and other physical barriers. To help him navigate his new normal, Lindsay quickly stepped into the role of Dannys advocate. She shared that some of the most challenging parts of stroke recovery for Danny were not being able to hold his youngest baby due to weight restrictions and not being able to play catch in the backyard with his kids.HCA Healthcare patient and stroke survivor Danny Goldammer (right) and his family.Today, Danny is healthy and back to spending quality time with his wife and kids. I think the most remarkable thing about Dannys story is that he has resumed all the activities he enjoyed before his stroke, Lindsay said. He is an avid outdoorsman and loves to spend time with our kids fishing, hunting and playing sports. He loves all things Kansas City when it comes to sports! We try and go to Royals games as a family several times each summer and we attend Chiefs games, too.There are some blessings after you go through something like this. First is that you realize how hard hospital caregivers work and that they dont give up on you. In fact, they become family. Second, you realize how many people care about you, and are willing to step up to support you and your family.  Its overwhelming at times, and I have deep gratitude for everyone.Danny Goldammer, HCA Healthcare patient and stroke survivorDanny hopes that sharing his story is a reminder for everyone to know the signs of a stroke, keeping in mind the acronym BE FAST: Balance loss, Eyesight changes, Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty and Time to call 911.

HCA Healthcare has a strong and longstanding connection to the U.S. armed forces, military veterans and their families. Our organization has hired more than 60,000 veterans, active-duty and reserve personnel and military spouses over the past 12 years.In 2023, HCA Healthcare earned the following distinctions for our efforts to support U.S. veteran and military communities:Military Times recognized HCA Healthcare as a Best for Vets employer for the fourth consecutive year, highlighting its efforts to recruit, retain and support current and former service members, military spouses and military caregivers.VIQTORY has recognized HCA Healthcare as a Military Friendly employer for 13 consecutive years. This year, HCA Healthcare has been upgraded to Gold distinction for our veteran hiring practices, programs and support initiatives.RecruitMilitary has recognized HCA Healthcare as a 2023 Champion for Military Hiring based on the pursuit of hiring excellence.Disabled American Veterans has recognized and awarded HCA Healthcare the Patriot Employer award for demonstrating an unwavering commitment to hiring and supporting military talent through employment policies, hiring practices and community outreach.As we recognize Military Appreciation Month this May, we honor the contributions, sacrifices and service of the members of the armed forces, past and present. Not only do we pause in May for Memorial Day to remember the service and sacrifice of those who gave all, but we also observe Military Spouse Appreciation Day and Armed Forces Day.Supporting veterans and military spousesHCA Healthcare has been a long partner of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which founded the Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) program in 2011 at the peak of the roughly 12% veteran unemployment rate. Over the past 13 years, HCA Healthcare has worked alongside HOH to address the employment gaps for military talent by offering growth and development opportunities and providing a strong sense of community.On March 6, 2024, we proudly collaborated with HOH, to host a Veteran and Military Spouse Employment Advisory Council meeting in HCA Healthcares hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. The event brought together business leaders and more than 50 different employers from across the country to share best practices for veteran and military spouse employment. These working groups enable HOH to continue to drive success and excellence through their support and employment programs.Additionally, we were one of the first organizations to partner with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to help lead the Hiring 100,000 Military Spouses campaign in 2019. The 2019 campaign was a three-year call to action for U.S. organizations of all sizes to make a collective commitment to hire 100,000 military spouses. Through the campaign, more than 7,000 military spouses have joined HCA Healthcare.Encouraging future service membersTo support the next generation of service members, HCA Healthcare collaborated with the U.S. Army Nashville Recruitment Battalion to host an innovative Intro to Careers in Healthcare event. The event hosted at HCA Healthcares TriStar Centennial Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee aimed to show soon-to-be soldiers and potential applicants how skills and experiences learned in military service can be utilized in the civilian healthcare workforce.In addition to learning about job opportunities within HCA Healthcare, the U.S. Army Future Soldiers learned how to safely transport patients, participated in a STOP THE BLEED training and gained insight from current Army members and HCA Healthcare veteran colleagues about their career pathways.HCA Healthcare cares about the veterans of tomorrow, so its really important for us to show high school students and young professionals what careers can be like once they get done with their military service, said Jon Snider, military affairs program manager at HCA Healthcare.Related article (NewsChannel 5): US Army, HCA Healthcare teach future veterans about life after service and jobsBelow, we share the stories of veterans across HCA Healthcare their journeys highlight how military service shaped who they are and how they continue to draw upon their experiences to serve in healthcare today.Assisting Americas veterans in the civilian workforceIn April 2024, Military Friendly recognized two HCA Healthcare colleagues and veterans, Jon Snider and George Garcia, for the positive impact they have on their workplaces, as well as the military and veteran community.Military Friendly 2024 Veteran Champion of the Year in Corporate AmericaHCA Healthcare Military Affairs Program Manager Jon Snider was recently recognized as a 2024 Veteran Champion of the Year in Corporate America by Military Friendly for his work to support veterans in the civilian workforce. Within his role, Jon helps military members, veterans and military spouses find healthcare careers where they can use their values and skills to strengthen HCA Healthcares culture and support our mission.Jon enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 17. He was integrated into military service, assigned a battle buddy and taught the fundamentals of teamwork while learning the skills to be an infantryman. In 2012, after six years of serving our country, Jon began his transition from military service to civilian life. However, Jon shared that he struggled to translate his skill set, experience and leadership capabilities to hiring and recruiters.Two years later, Jon received a life-changing invitation to an event hosted by current military members and veterans where he was coached on best practices for interviews and resume writing, as well as how to effectively network. Those lessons and conversations helped him land his first role in medical education. Having once been in similar shoes, Jon acknowledges that finding a job where veterans and military members can best utilize their strengths and translate their skills to hiring managers can often be difficult.Navigating the hiring process is challenging, Jon said. But for our veterans and service members, their challenge is as simple as interviewing. For many of them, their interview experience is minimal and at times, the last interview they had was one of their high school jobs. HCA Healthcare works with veteran service organizations such as The Honor Foundation, Hiring Our Heroes and Operation Stand Down TN to offer mock interview experiences so that veterans have the opportunity to practice and get familiar with different interview formats.Additionally, Jon has helped to champion HCA for a Day experiences where service members and veterans gain exposure to the daily operations of the role they are exploring. As part of this program, transitioning service members access one-on-one time with veterans currently serving in their desired healthcare role and meet with members of HCA Healthcares Veterans Colleague Network.HCA Healthcare has such an amazing military community that is not only attracting other veterans and military families to work here, but that are doing great things for our organization and communities. I am beyond proud to represent the military community of HCA Healthcare and continue to grow and strengthen our contributions to the legacy that our two founders, Thomas Frist Sr. and Dr. Thomas Frist Jr., left for this organization after their own service in the U.S. Armed Forces.Jon Snider, HCA Healthcare Military Affairs Program ManagerLooking ahead, Jon says the future for veterans and military spouses is bright at HCA Healthcare. In addition to supporting our current and future veteran colleagues, Jon is supporting the development of a forthcoming enhanced military leave policy, a formalized military spouse program as well as a workforce development program for military-affiliated talent.Parallon colleague earns Military Friendly 2024 Employee Veteran Leadership AwardMilitary Friendly also recognized HCA Healthcare colleague George Garcia with a 2024 Employee Veteran Leadership Award, which honors veterans who excel in their careers. The 2024 list features 40 veterans who demonstrate leadership, teamwork, discipline, determination, adaptability, a strong work ethic and a never-quit attitude.George says receiving this award is a true honor. George, a current senior project manager for HCA Healthcare affiliate Parallon, spent 20 years in the U.S. Army. He was deployed three times twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan before transitioning into civilian life. When looking for a new career path after his service, George attended a military career fair where he learned about HCA Healthcare and instantly felt drawn to be part of our organization.HCA Healthcares mission of Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life resonated deeply with my military values. Ive dedicated myself to not only HCA Healthcare but also assisting fellow veterans in joining our community.George Garcia, Senior Project Manager, ParallonFor those seeking a meaningful career after life in the military, George suggests taking advantage of the resources available to service members: Network through social media on sites like LinkedIn and veteran community groups in the area you are thinking about living in. It can feel overwhelming but know that there are fellow veterans out there who have been in your shoes and are willing and ready to help.Did you know? At HCA Healthcare, a badge helps identify the key role that a colleague serves in a hospital or medical practice. Thousands of colleagues also proudly wear additional badges conveying their military affiliation as a veteran, current service member, military spouse or military advocate. Many of HCA Healthcares veteran colleagues say their badges often spark conversations with other colleagues, patients and their families. The badges help connect them to other veterans and can prompt expressions of gratitude for their service.Tennessee nurse finds calling in healthcare after service in the U.S. Marine CorpsHCA Healthcare colleague Michael Stanleys journey into the military began with the dream of becoming a police officer. For him, joining the U.S. Marine Corps seemed like the first natural step toward that goal. He soon realized that his true calling was another form of service: nursing.  My mom, grandmother and great-grandmother were all nurses and the compassion they have for people is awe-inspiring, Michael shared. I wanted to share that love and compassion for caring for people they exhibited in their everyday lives. I had one goal when I transitioned out of the Marines to become a registered nurse. I accomplished that goal and wouldnt change it for the world.Following his time in the U.S. Marine Corps, Michael joined HCA Healthcares TriStar Hendersonville Medical Center in Hendersonville, Tennessee as a nurse in 2019. Within a few short years, Michael was awarded a DAISY Award after receiving nominations from colleagues and patients. The prestigious recognition program honors nurses who go above and beyond to not only provide patients and families with excellence in clinical care but also compassion.For Michael, he believes not only in demonstrating compassion and providing quality care to our patients, but truly connecting with them in meaningful ways. I live in this community and take care of my neighbors in the hospital, he said. I want the best for them, thats including the care I can provide for them.It is a unique experience to be in town with my family and a former patient approaches and says, Thank you for being there for me while I was in the hospital. My kids always ask, Dad, did you take care of them in the hospital when they were sick? It brings a smile to my face to tell them, Yes, I did. I can only hope it gives my children pride knowing I made a difference in a persons life, even if it was a small one.Michael Stanley, Nurse, TriStar Hendersonville Medical CenterMichael is currently working toward his doctor of nursing practice (DNP) to further enhance his nurse leadership skills.California veteran follows calling to return to bedside nursing careAfter growing up around her fathers military pictures in her house and thinking how brave and courageous he was, Charlene Gozony was inspired to join the U.S. Army Reserves to pursue a career in nursing. She has served as a critical care nurse for over 25 years.Coming from a military family and wanting to serve my country, I thought this was a perfect plan for me, Charlene said. Serving others is in my heart and who I am as a person, and I am proud to say that being a nurse and a soldier allowed me to give my all to serving my country and the communities I work in.Charlene served in the 6252 U.S. Army Hospital in San Diego, California from 1992 to 2003. During her training in the Army, Charlene learned self-discipline, organization, commitment and the importance of paying attention to detail. These skills have allowed me to provide safe and competent care, especially when caring for the most critical patients, she said. I am always thinking one step ahead when working in the intensive care unit (ICU), and preparing for anything that may happen. Being incredibly detail-oriented keeps my patients safe.After working in several hospitals and nursing roles throughout her career, Charlene was ready to leave her hospital leadership role and return to providing bedside care to patients. That is when she connected with a friend who had worked at HCA Healthcares Riverside Community Hospital in Riverside, California. It turned out to be one of the best decisions in my career, Charlene explained.I am proud to say that each day, I work alongside an amazing group of professionals who put their hearts and souls into caring for the sick and the most vulnerable. The nurses are compassionate and giving not only to their patients and families but to one another. The teamwork, unity and commitment at Riverside Community Hospital is among the best I have experienced in my career. They are all heroes in my book.Charlene Gozony, Nurse, Riverside Community Hospital

Today, we are proud to announce HCA Healthcare has been named on Fortunes 2024 Worlds Most Admired Companies list. This year, HCA Healthcare is ranked first overall in its industry.To determine this years list, Fortune collaborated with Korn Ferry to analyze 660 companies across 52 industries in 29 countries. The top-rated companies were rated by executives, directors and analysts on nine criteria: innovation, people management, use of corporate assets, social responsibility, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term investment, quality of products and services, and global competitiveness.It is a great honor to be included alongside other industry leaders on Fortunes Worlds Most Admired list this year, said Sam Hazen, CEO of HCA Healthcare. We are proud of the impact our colleagues are making through more than 43 million annual patient encounters, as well as the best practices and standards of care we are developing that help improve care with and beyond our network of hospitals.In 2023, HCA Healthcare recruited more than 116,500 colleagues, including 37,500 bedside nurses. To support its colleagues, HCA Healthcare offers a variety of programs, resources and opportunities, including education assistance, financial well-being programs and the HCA Healthcare Leadership Institute, which has graduated more than 21,200 colleagues since its inception in 2014.HCA Healthcare strives to find new, innovative ways to elevate care delivery for its patients. The organizations Care Transformation and Innovation (CT&I) team works closely with clinicians to refine tools, such as generative AI to assist care teams with time-consuming tasks like documentation and a scheduling and staffing solution for nurses, and to expand the use of technology throughout the organization. HCA Healthcares dedication to improve more lives in more ways extends beyond the walls of its hospitals. The organizations environmental strategy includes both short- and long-term sustainability plans and centers on incorporating four key pillars into operations, including managing energy and water responsibly, enhancing climate resilience, sourcing and consuming efficiently and managing the environmental impact of capital programs.In addition to being a Worlds Most Admired Company, 36 HCA Healthcare hospitals were named on the 2024 Fortune/PINC AI 100 Top Hospitals list. According to Fortune/PINC AI, this years list is based on an analysis of publicly available Medicare data that reflect measures of clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, patient experience and financial health. This annual list recognizes the highest-quality performers and promotes continual improvement in the industry. HCA Healthcare hospitals on this years list include:HCA Healthcare Top Major Teaching HospitalsHCA Florida Kendall Hospital (Miami, Florida)HCA Healthcare Top Teaching HospitalsHCA Florida Brandon Hospital (Brandon, Florida)HCA Florida Trinity Hospital (Trinity, Florida)HCA Florida North Florida Hospital (Gainesville, Florida)Trident Medical Center (Charleston, South Carolina)Grand Strand Medical Center (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)Doctors Hospital (Augusta, Georgia)TriStar Centennial Medical Center (Nashville, Tennessee)Methodist Hospital (San Antonio, Texas)Methodist Hospital Stone Oak (San Antonio, Texas)Medical City Denton (Denton, Texas)Wesley Medical Center (Wichita, Kansas)Sky Ridge Medical Center (Lone Tree, Colorado)Swedish Medical Center (Englewood, Colorado)The Medical Center of Aurora (Aurora, Colorado)Rose Medical Center (Denver, Colorado)Southern Hills Hospital & Medical Center (Las Vegas, Nevada)MountainView Hospital (Las Vegas, Nevada)HCA Healthcare Top Large Community HospitalsHCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake (Webster, Texas)St. Davids Medical Center (Austin, Texas)St. Davids South Austin Medical Center (Austin, Texas)St. Davids North Austin Medical Center (Austin, Texas)Medical City Plano (Plano, Texas)Parkridge Medical Center (Chattanooga, Tennessee)CJW Medical Center (Richmond, Virginia)Henrico Doctors Hospital (Richmond, Virginia)HCA Healthcare Top Medium Community HospitalsFairview Park Hospital (Dublin, Georgia)TriStar Summit Medical Center (Hermitage, Tennessee)TriStar Hendersonville Medical Center (Hendersonville, Tennessee)Timpanogos Regional Hospital (Orem, Utah)Ogden Regional Medical Center (Ogden, Utah)West Valley Medical Center (Caldwell, Idaho)HCA Healthcare Top Small Community HospitalsMission Hospital McDowell (Marion, North Carolina)Lone Peak Hospital (Draper, Utah)Lakeview Hospital (Bountiful, Utah)Brigham City Community Hospital (Brigham City, Utah)

In the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, HCA Florida Healthcare has announced a contribution of $750,000 to community organizations dedicated to meeting the needs of those impacted throughout Florida.This gift provides $250,000 to United Way of Florida, $250,000 to Volunteer Florida Disaster Fund, and a $250,000 special match for gifts made by HCA Healthcare colleagues to United Way of Florida, the American Red Cross and the HCA Healthcare Hope Fundthe organizations colleague-run, colleague-supported 501(c)3 charity benefiting its colleagues and their immediate families affected by financial hardship. The impact of these disasters has been overwhelming for our colleagues and communities in Florida. Yet, our teams have responded with incredible diligence, sacrifice and care to contribute to the health and safety of our communities. While we continue to provide care to the more than 8.6 million Floridians who trust us with their health, these giftsand the deepened organizational collaboration they can sparkare another way we can contribute to helping our communities recover and rebuild. HCA Florida Healthcare, one of the states largest healthcare networks, employs more than 79,000 colleagues across the state. Many of these employees are among those directly impacted by the storms. More than 1,000 HCA Florida Healthcare colleagues have already received in excess of $834,000 in Hope Fund contributions for personal disaster reliefMore than 1,800 HCA Florida Healthcare colleagues received free gasoline. After each storm, the system provided immediate support at its hospitals to assist colleagues in taking care of their needs so they could best take care of patients.More than 150 nurses from across HCA Healthcare traveled to Florida to take on shifts at impacted hospitals so local staff could tend to their homes and families. Additionally, HCA Florida Healthcare provided: more than 10,000 cases of food, 11,000 bags of ice and 3,320 cases of water; 10,500 cases of cleaning supplies; 63,000 gallons of fuel to more than 8,100 colleagues; nearly 200 hotel rooms for displaced employees; and on-site laundry and shower services to colleagues and their families. These responses are a coordinated effort across HCA Healthcare as part of its Emergency Operations Center (EEOC) in Nashville, a multi-disciplinary incident response team of nearly 200 leaders. The EEOC was activated in advance of both hurricanes to help ensure hospitals could continue to operate and care for patients during and after the storm. Teams prepositioned resources (including staff, medications, generators, bulk water and fuel supply, and construction materials) to aid with recovery and remediation. Collaboration across the HCA Healthcare enterprise occurred around the clock to ensure the safety of colleagues and patients while the storms made landfall in Florida.Mike Wargo, vice president and chief of HCA Healthcares Enterprise Emergency Operations, and Richard Hammet, president of HCA Healthcares Atlantic Group, inside the organizations EEOC in Nashville, Tennessee. Response and rebuilding efforts continue in Florida and across the Southeast for those impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. For more information about the HCA Healthcare Hope Fund or to donate, visit HCAHopeFund.com.Related article: HCA Healthcare Hope Fund supports more than 56,000 colleagues during times of need HCA Healthcare TodayAbout HCA Florida Healthcare HCA Florida Healthcare, a part of HCA Healthcare, is a family of more than 650 affiliated sites of care, including hospitals, physician practices, freestanding emergency rooms and urgent care centers. United as a statewide network in 2022, HCA Florida Healthcare includes approximately 11,000 experienced doctors and more than 79,000 colleagues working together to deliver equitable, evidence-based collaborative care to more than 8.6 million patients each year. HCA Florida Healthcare is committed to improving more lives in more ways and giving back to the communities it serves. The network provides more than $848.8 million in uncompensated care and contributes $2.1 million to community organizations across the state. In addition, HCA Florida Healthcare offers patients access to highly-trained specialists, including the states largest cardiovascular network. A strong advocate for the next generation of healthcare professionals, HCA Florida Healthcare is also a major supporter of university-based healthcare programs and residencies and fellowships throughout the Sunshine State. For more information, please visit HCAFloridaHealthcare.com.

Throughout April, we celebrate National Donate Life Month to help encourage Americans to register as organ, eye and tissue donors and to honor those who have saved countless lives through donation. We also pause to recognize the talented professionals devoted to the transplant community who make the gift of life possible. In 2023, HCA Healthcares skilled transplant teams performed more than 1,200 solid organ transplants at our nine transplant centers.Did you know? More than 100,000 people are currently on the waiting list for a lifesaving transplant, according to Donate Life America.This number continues to grow as another person is added to the waiting list every 8 minutes. Transplants rely on the generosity of donors, and there are not enough donors to meet the need.It is an extreme privilege to witness HCA Healthcares transplant professionals work together to provide our patients with the best chance for a successful transplant and ongoing transplant care and support. They can serve transplant patients thanks to individuals who choose to donate their organs, saving the lives of loved ones and even people they have never met, said James Pittman, MSN, RN, assistant vice president of transplant services at HCA Healthcare. This Donate Life Month, we strengthen our efforts to shorten the transplant waiting list by encouraging community members to register as organ, eye and tissue donors to share the gift of life with those in need.Types of donationDonate Life America classifies four types of donation:Deceased donation: Deceased organ, eye or tissue donation is the process of giving an organ (or a part of an organ), eye or tissue at the time of the donors death, for the purpose of transplantation to another person. At the end of your life, you can give life to others.Living donation: Living donation offers another choice for transplant candidates, and it saves two lives: the recipient and the next one on the deceased organ waiting list. Even better, kidney and liver patients who are able to receive a living donor transplant can receive the best quality organ much sooner, often before becoming too sick or starting dialysis.Vascularized Composite Allografts (VCA): Vascularized Composite Allografts (VCAs) involve the transplantation of multiple structures that may include skin, bone, muscles, blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue. The most commonly known type of VCAs are uterus, hand and face transplants.Pediatric Donation: Pediatric transplants differ slightly from other organ donations as organ size is critical to a successful transplant, children often respond better to child-sized organs. There are currently 2,000 children under the age of 18 waiting for a variety of organs, and nearly 25% of them are under 5 years old.Register to be an organ donor on Donate Life Americas websiteDonate Life Month storiesBelow, we introduce you to some of the people that make up HCA Healthcares transplant community, from transplant recipients to donor families and living donors. Read how their lives were forever changed by organ donation and transplantation.Brothers with rare kidney disease receive life-saving organ transplantsAs children, HCA Healthcare patients and brothers Anthony and Victor Moreta were active and healthy. During adulthood, they were both diagnosed with a rare type of kidney disease called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), which causes scarring in the filters of the kidneys. It is a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure, which can only be treated with dialysis or a kidney transplant.While Victor was at work as a Tampa Police Department officer in 2015, he became dehydrated and turned pale. He was taken to the nearest emergency room, where he was diagnosed with kidney failure. He was advised to seek care from a specialist for dialysis and to explore a transplant.Victor was placed on the transplant waiting list while he began dialysis and searched for a kidney donor. After a year, he found a perfect match when the family member of a colleague was tested. Three months later, Victor received his new kidney via living donation at HCA Florida Largo Hospitals Transplant Center.When they told me that I was going to have my transplant, it was a very scary thing Ive never had any surgery before. Everyone was so helpful, all the way from the admin reception people to the transplant intensive care unit to the kidney clinic that I still go to. I can never thank this hospital enough for what they did for me. Ill be eternally grateful.Victor Moreta, HCA Florida Largo Hospital kidney transplant patientAlmost a year after Victors successful transplant, his brother, Anthony, was diagnosed with kidney failure. My brother called me and told me that I need to go to [HCA Florida] Largo [Hospital] to see the doctors and see if they could do a transplant, Anthony recalled. He received dialysis for about a year while searching for a living donor.A living donor can be someone who is just in general in good health. They dont have to be blood-related, but blood type compatible, said Dr. James Eason, Director of Abdominal Transplant at HCA Florida Largo Hospital.About the time Anthony started to feel discouraged about finding a donor, his wifes colleague learned she was able to donate to him. Anthony and his donor were even able to see each other in the hospital before their surgeries.Today, you can find the brothers back to work and spending their spare time surrounded by family. The idea of these people literally saving my life and my brothers life is amazing, Anthony reflected.Heart transplant recipient shares gratitudeHCA Healthcare patient Kathleen Hornbecker is proud to be able to get her blood pumping while attending cardiac rehabilitation at HCA Florida Northside Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida following her heart transplant late last year. However, six months ago, none of this would have seemed possible because her heart was failing. Over the past 20 years, she has had two heart attacks, a stroke and congestive heart failure twice.I knew I was dying, Kathleen told Bay News 9. I couldnt walk. I couldnt talk. I couldnt breathe. I couldnt even lay down to sleep. I had to sit up to sleep.Dr. Andrew Boyle, the medical director of advanced heart failure at HCA Florida Largo Hospital determined Kathleen would be a candidate for a heart transplant. Dr. Boyle noted that her heart was not squeezing, but rather rocking. After her transplant, Kathleens heart is pumping as strong as ever and she was referred to another hospital within the HCA Florida Healthcare network, HCA Florida Northside Hospital for cardiac rehabilitation.[Its] tremendously different, Dr. Boyle said. So thats why she felt as well as she did. And thats why shes able to do cardiac rehab and why shes able to get back to her usual life.As a transplant physician, he takes his oath to organ donor families very seriously. And, he encourages everyone to have conversations with their loved ones about organ donation because it can change and save lives. Kathleen is grateful every day someone had that conversation when her need came. Now I definitely know how blessed I am and hopefully get to see my grandchildren grow up, she said, adding that she now plans to live to 100.Husband proves to be a match for wife in more ways than oneKidney transplant recipient, Megan Stathas, with her husband, John, on their wedding day.Shortly after saying I do at the altar, John Stathas was able to prove that he was a match in more than one way for his new wife, Megan. During Megans annual physical, lab work uncovered that she was living with stage 4 chronic kidney disease. Her husband said after the initial fear, he wanted to know how he could help. Thats when John began testing, alongside the couples family and friends, to see if they could potentially be her donor. To Megans surprise, her husband was a match.She already has my heart. Whats a kidney?John Stathas, donated kidney to wifeIn August 2020, John donated his kidney to his wife at HCA Healthcares Presbyterian/St. Lukes Medical Center in Denver. Megans living donation transplant surgery went seamlessly and the couple was excited to shift their focus on growing a family.In 2022, the couple welcomed a baby girl. With John being able to give his wife the gift of life, and her then bringing new life into the world, its come full circle, said Christine Opp, living kidney donor coordinator at Presbyterian/St. Lukes Medical Center.Being able to do the things that I always wanted to do, like being a mom. Thats amazing that we can go back to life as normal, Megan added.This Donate Life Month, John shares his advice for others: If you are healthy and looking for something to contribute to the world or to someone, sign up to be a living donor. You might just save a strangers life, or save your parents life, or a sibling or your wife.Teens legacy lives on through organ donationAfter suffering traumatic injuries from a falling tree in 2023, fifteen-year-old cheerleader Aleya Brooks was taken to HCA Healthcares TriStar Skyline Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Doctors put her on life support, but her family had to make the difficult decision to take her off life support as her condition worsened. Aleya was an organ donor.There was never a person that she met that she did not deeply care for, said Jason Brooks, Aleyas father. She wanted to heal brain trauma, brain injuries, Alzheimers, etc. Its really hard that our daughter, who was going to heal so many actually died of a traumatic brain injury. As her parents, its been the greatest joys of our lives, to be part of her journey.In a powerful gesture to show Aleyas family that they were not alone, the care teams at the hospital hosted an honor walk for the teen, recognizing her heroism as an organ donor. Aleyas cheerleading teammates were among the more than 500 people who lined the hospitals halls to pay tribute to the gift of life that was being passed on.Tristar Skyline Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kevin Hamilton said it was an emotional evening for many reasons. Aleyas organ donation not only provided solace to her family but also comforted those who cared for her. Its meaningful for our staff, for our doctors, nurses that are caring for patients who pass away and to know that some good and something meaningful came out of that tragedy, said Dr. Hamilton. Four of Aleyas organs were donated to three people: A 65-year-old woman, a 36-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman. They were all given a second chance at life.I had my sisters kidney for almost 35 years. So, she knows how important organ donation is, said Aleyas mother, Darla Brooks. And I absolutely know that she [Aleya] would want to do anything to save more lives.Neighbor becomes a lifesaver If you are driving around Idaho Falls, Idaho, and come across a car with a license plate that reads GTBA, you will find transplant recipient Robert Parkinson behind the wheel. The four-letter acronym displayed on his car meaning, Good To Be Alive, are the words that he lives by after getting a second chance at life.This month, Robert participated in a Donate Life Month ceremony at HCA Healthcares Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center to share the importance of organ donation while also honoring the selflessness of Jeremy Rose, his neighbor and liver donor. Jeremy was involved in a tragic construction accident in Hawaii in 2010 that caused him to become brain-dead at 34 years old.The family was initially hesitant to donate Jeremys organs with hopes that he would recover in the Hawaii hospital. Back in Idaho, Robert was not expected to survive the week without a liver transplant.After understanding that Jeremy was not going to recover and learning of Roberts dire condition, Jeremys family donated his liver on the condition it went to Robert, saving his life. Because of the role his family and sister Emily Bowcutt played in helping to decide to donate Jeremys organs, Robert felt compelled to honor Donate Life Month this year at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center where Emily is a medical and surgical director.In total, three lives were saved with the generosity of Jeremy and his family. Not a doubt in my mind he would want this, shared Emily. Because of her experience working in the hospital, Emily says she knew no matter what they did, she was going to lose her brother. Because of the organ donation, their family found meaning in the loss of Jeremy.The gift of life has caused these two families to grow closer. We were more acquaintances before, and now were family, Robert said. I just want to express appreciation for the gift of life. Theres a lot of people involved, a lot of medical people involved, theres the donor family involved, and theyre the real heroes of these stories. Im just grateful.Robert now has 24 grandchildren that he now gets to watch grow up because of the generosity of Jeremys family.

According to a survey from the American Psychological Association, Americans are more stressed than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on Americas collective mental health, while climate change, inflation and racial inequality also contributed to increased stress across the nation.Research shows that stress puts us at increased risk for various physical and mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, digestive issues, headaches, muscle tension and pain, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep problems and weight gain, said Amy Rushton, vice president of Behavioral Health at HCA Healthcare. We see this in our own lives as we balance work, family, finances and recent events in the news.Stress can also impact a hormone associated with stress called cortisol, which can cause serious physical health concerns if it builds up in the body.If you want to learn how to reduce stress hormones, its important to first understand what causes stress and how it affects your body. From there, you can take a few practical steps to support healthy cortisol levels.What is stress?Stress is a state of worry caused by a difficult situation. Its a natural human response that everyone experiences from time to time. When youre stressed, your body releases hormones, triggering your fight or flight response. Typically, your body returns to normal once the perceived danger has passed. But when you have chronic stress, your body stays in a heightened state of alertness even when youre not in danger. Chronic stress can lead to many physical and mental health problems, including anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system.A variety of factors can contribute to stress, including grief, job loss or financial difficulty. Even positive life changes, such as a promotion or buying a home, can cause stress. In these situations, stress can motivate you to keep moving forward.People handle stress differently. Some can move through stressful situations with relative ease, while others are more sensitive to its effects. If youre in a constant state of stress, learning how to reduce stress hormones is critical to minimizing your risk of health problems, such as high blood pressure and heart disease.How to reduce stress hormonesThe relationship between stress and cortisol levels goes both ways: Reducing cortisol means reducing stress and vice versa. Decreasing stress and prioritizing mental and physical wellbeing is crucial to improving our quality of life, Amy Rushton explained. You just have to start, and once you do, youll notice the difference.Here are some steps you can take to lower your cortisol.1. Eat a balanced dietWhat you eat can impact your cortisol levels. One study found that a diet high in added sugar and saturated fat can cause higher cortisol levels than a diet high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Dietary fiber from beans, nuts and seeds can also help keep cortisol levels stable.2. Limit caffeine intakeWhile your morning cup of coffee may wake you up, caffeine can increase your cortisol levels. It can also affect your mood. High levels of caffeine may make you feel good initially but eventually cause you to crash. You dont have to avoid caffeine completely, but if you notice that a second cup of coffee makes you feel worse instead of better, limit your intake to one cup a day or switch to decaf.3. Get enough sleepStress can make it difficult to fall or stay asleep. But not getting enough sleep can increase cortisol levels, potentially increasing stress. Prioritize getting a good nights rest. In addition to lowering cortisol levels, cutting down on caffeine can make it easier for you to fall asleep at night. You can also try:Drinking chamomile teaKeeping your room cool and darkLimiting electronics before bedtimeUsing a white noise machine or sleep soundsEstablishing a consistent sleep schedule4. Try relaxation techniquesYou dont have to be a yogi to benefit from relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation. One of the benefits of deep breathing is that you can do it anywhere, whenever you start feeling stressed. Taking controlled, deep breaths can help lower your blood pressure, heart rate and cortisol levels.5. Consider supplementsA balanced diet is the best way to get essential, mood-supporting nutrients that can aid in stress management, but certain supplements can help too. For example, omega-3 fatty acids  healthy fats found in fatty fish like salmon, chia seeds and flaxseeds have been shown to help reduce cortisol levels. You can get omega-3s from fish oil supplements. Vitamin D, which is also available as a supplement, has also been linked to lower cortisol levels.Taking a personalized approachIndividual responses to stress vary, so what works for one person may not work for you. Thats why its essential to talk to your doctor before making significant lifestyle changes. Your doctor can help you create an individualized plan that works for your unique needs and circumstances. With the right approach, you can regulate your cortisol levels and keep stress at bay.

Atrial fibrillation, commonly known as AFib, is the most common arrhythmia. Those living with AFib are at increased risk for strokes, heart failure and other health concerns. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Heart Association predict that more than 12 million Americans will have AFib in 2030.If you know someone diagnosed with AFib or suspect that you or a loved one may have it, keep reading. Dr. Jose Osorio, a board-certified clinical cardiac electrophysiologist and medical director of HCA Florida Miami Electrophysiology, explains what AFib is and shares his hopes for future treatment. As the principal investigator in several clinical trials, Dr. Osorio is researching novel treatment options for AFib.Question: What is AFib and what does it feel like to have it?Dr. Osorio: AFib is a type of arrhythmia that causes the upper chambers of the heart, the atria, to lose their regular electrical activity and start quivering. As a result, the heart may beat very fast and become unable to pump blood effectively, leading to a variety of symptoms. Blood can also pool in a small pouch called the appendage, where clots may form, increasing the risk of stroke fivefold. Additionally, strokes caused by AFib tend to be more severe than those resulting from other causes.The most common symptoms of AFib are fatigue and heart fluttering. Other symptoms include:Fast, irregular heartbeatShortness of breathAnxietyGeneral fatigue or fatigue when exercisingDizziness, faintness, confusion, weaknessChest pain or pressureSome people with AFib have no symptoms, which is why its important to have your heart checked regularly, even if you think nothing is wrong.Question: How is AFib diagnosed?Dr. Osorio: When I evaluate patients who possibly have AFib, I start with their medical history, physical examination and an electrocardiogram (ECG). Some patients have episodes that come and go (paroxysmal AFib) and may be more difficult to diagnose. Others will be in AFib all the time and the diagnosis is easier (Persistent AFib).If AFib is not detected during the office visit, we commonly send patients home with a heart monitor that will record all heartbeats for a week or more. In some cases, we use implantable heart monitors to make a diagnosis.These tests will help us diagnose and choose the best treatment options, which may include medications or procedures.Visit the American Heart Associations website for a downloadable, Partnering in Your Treatment guide that can help you discuss your heart health and options with your physician.Question: Who is at risk for AFib, and what are the risk factors?Dr. Osorio: Anyone can have AFib, but it is more common in individuals with the following conditions:Advancing ageAlcohol use (moderate to heavy, binge drinking)Family history of AFibHigh blood pressure (a leading cause)ObesitySleep apneaSmokingUnderlying heart disease or other chronic conditions, such as diabetesLifestyle changes will help reduce your risk of developing AFib and improve control if you already have it:Engage in regular physical activityEat a heart-healthy diet low in salt, saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterolManage high blood pressureAvoid excessive alcohol consumptionDont smokeControl cholesterol levelsMaintain a healthy weightQuestion: Can AFib go away on its own?Dr. Osorio: AFib typically does not resolve on its own. Most patients begin with sporadic episodes that become progressively more frequent and last longer. However, living a healthy lifestyle can slow theprogression of AFib and improve the effectiveness of treatments.Question: What treatment options are available for someone diagnosed with AFib?Dr. Osorio: Today, we have a wide range of treatment options for our patients.The primary goals of treatment are to prevent stroke and other complications and to improve quality of life. For patients at risk of stroke, we use anticoagulants, and for those who cannot take them, we offer left atrial appendage closure devices.We also perform procedures that can treat and, in some cases, eliminate the arrhythmia. Atrial Fibrillation ablation is a procedure where we attempt to eliminate the signals that trigger and maintain AFib. A new technology called Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA)  has revolutionized AFib ablation. PFA uses novel non-thermal energy to treat AFib without damaging surrounding tissue. It is safer, more efficient and allows us to perform the procedure under sedation instead of general anesthesia.We also encourage patients to explore the American Heart Associations My AFib Experience website. In this online community, individuals with AFib and their loved ones can share stories and find support.Question: What are your hopes for the future of AFib treatment?Dr. Osorio: In addition to traditional treatment options, ongoing innovation in the field of ablation continues to bring forward new technologies. At HCA Healthcare, we are proud to be part of several clinical trials exploring new treatments for AFib.Currently, we are involved in nearly a dozen AFib clinical trials across the organization, with many of these studies led by me as the principal investigator. Clinical trials play a critical role in developing safe and effective treatments for various conditions, including AFib. We are committed to advancing AFib treatment and improving outcomes for patients worldwide.