VA health systems in the Tampa Bay region are working to get veterans' care back on track after hurricanes Milton and Helene caused disruptions.
The storms led to thousands of outpatient appointment cancellations and forced one hospital to temporarily evacuate. But patients with critical needs continued to receive care throughout the disasters, and national VA officials are recognizing personnel for their hard work.
Department of Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Tanya Bradsher visited the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa on Friday to talk with patients and health workers about their experiences during the storm.
“They had done so much to get ready for the first hurricane when Helene came through, and then they had to turn around and do just as much getting ready for Milton,” Bradsher said.
Helene brought several storm surge and other damaging effects to the west coast of Florida before making landfall Sept. 26 in the Big Bend region. Milton hit the region Oct. 9 with destructive hurricane-force winds and extreme flood after nearly 2 feet of rain fell in some areas.
The Tampa hospital and its emergency room remained operational during both storms. The facility also hosted 21 patients from the Bay Pines VA Health System in Pinellas County, which had to evacuate due to Milton’s projected path and intensity.
“They just did a phenomenal job, and we had over 1,000 employees over a three-day period they sheltered in place to take care of veterans and make sure not only the veterans that were taken care of, but also making sure that the veterans that came in from Bay Pines had everything that they needed along with absorbing some of the staff,” Bradsher said.
In total, Bay Pines had to transfer 153 patients and accompanying staff to VA medical centers in Tampa, Orlando, Gainesville, Lake City, West Palm Beach and Miami for Milton. Most have since safely transferred back.
Three patients remain at the Tampa hospital to complete their care there, according to Jason Dangel, deputy communication manager for the VA Sunshine Healthcare Network, known as VISN 8.
Officials credit close partnerships between the VA facilities and emergency responders in their respective communities for managing the transfer.
A big focus now is getting outpatient appointments rescheduled.
VA health systems in the region shuttered community-based clinics for several days due to the storms and paused elective procedures. All centers are fully operational now, but there’s still more work to do to get veterans who missed out on care caught up.
Roughly 45,000 appointments were canceled within the Tampa and Bay Pines health systems due to Milton, according to Dangel.
Some patients were able to get care virtually, but that wasn’t possible for all vets depending on their health needs. Widespread power outages in the region also posed challenges for days after the storm.
Bradsher was pleased to see the Tampa VA busy with veterans returning for care when she visited on Friday.
“But we do have a lot of appointments that we still need to get rescheduled, and they're working through those as we speak,” Bradsher said.
Florida has the third-largest veteran population in the U.S., with more than 1 million living in the state.
Veterans can call 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411) to get information about disaster resources, benefits and other issues. If you’re a veteran experiencing a mental health emergency, you can contact the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988, then pressing 1.
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