In this episode of Hospitals in Focus, we revisit a vital topic—disaster preparedness and response. Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused devastating impacts across the Southeast, including catastrophic flooding in Asheville, North Carolina. FAH-member HCA Healthcare stepped up to the challenge, and their Mission Hospital became a beacon of resilience, treating over 500 emergency patients in the first hours after Hurricane Helene, flying in 400 nurses and 40 physicians from sister facilities, and ensuring the community had access to essential services.

Michael Wargo, HCA Healthcare’s Vice President of Enterprise Preparedness & Emergency Operations, provides listeners with a 360-degree view of emergency preparedness. Mike shares lessons learned, the importance of planning for the “known unknowns,” and how HCA’s leadership prioritizes readiness at all levels. Chip and Mike also explore broader considerations for disaster recovery, from practical on-the-ground strategies to policy changes so hospitals can remain resilient in the face of future disasters.

Guest Bio: 

Mr. Michael Wargo serves as HCA Healthcare’s enterprise Vice President for Preparedness & Emergency Operations based in Nashville, TN. Mike joined HCA Healthcare in 2016 as the Assistant VP of Enterprise Emergency Operations, a role in which he was tasked to redesign and lead the organization’s disaster and emergency operations program in readiness, response, and recovery from adverse natural and man-made incidents across both the U.S. and the metro London area of the UK. Mike brings more than 25 years of clinical experience in high quality, patient centered care and nearly two decades in public safety leadership. Mike is the Executive Officer and immediate past Chair of the U.S. Health and Public Health Sector Coordination Council of the National Critical Infrastructure Protection Program sanctioned by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21. In this role, he collaborates and serves as a trusted advisor to both federal secretary-level & SES leadership and senior private industry executives on readiness, response, and recovery initiatives impacting the U.S. national health security and critical infrastructure protection. Additionally, he served as the Chair of the Emergency Preparedness Committee for the Federation of American Hospitals. 

Mike is a veteran healthcare executive with experience leading the medical operations division of Northeast Regional Counter-Terrorism Task Force based in PA. He is the prior Administrator and Chief of Emergency Operations for Lehigh Valley Health Network, and an experienced flight nurse and Administrator of LVHN-MedEvac. Federally, Mike served in an intermittent position as a Supervisory Nurse Specialist for the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services National Disaster Medical Services. His combined experience includes both domestic and international homeland security and medical response training & operations. Mike holds multiple certifications in homeland security, disaster preparedness and is one of the first Certified Medical Transport Executives worldwide. He is a graduate of the American Military University with a Master of Business Administration degree, Kutztown University of PA with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing and is a graduate of St. Luke’s School of Nursing with a Diploma of Nursing. Continuing his post-graduate studies, Mike is near completion of the Doctor of Public Health degree program at Indiana University Fairbanks School of Public Health.

Mike was recently awarded with the “Director’s Award for Outstanding Service to Mission” by the U.S. Secret Service for his leading the Pandemic Health Security & Medical Operations of the final 2020 U.S. Presidential Debate.