As of Thursday, August 1, the National Hurricane Center is tracking the tropical disturbance located over Puerto Rico, USVI, and the northern Leeward Islands. The development of the system is currently slow and will likely move northwest over the next couple of days.
Partnership powers our work. As a 501c3 nonprofit, Healthcare Ready relies on funding from donations, grants, and sponsorships to make this crucial work possible. Contact us at contactus@healthcareready.org or click below today to learn more about sponsoring a situation report or contributing to our Crisis Fund.
Healthcare Ready is MONITORING for this event.We are monitoring potential concerns for supply chain disruptions and impacts on healthcare services on our Alert Hub.
Contents
Situation Overview
Potential Impacts to Health Care
Potential Supply Chain Impacts
Situation Overview
As of Thursday, August 1, the National Hurricane Center is tracking the tropical disturbance located over Puerto Rico, USVI, and the northern Leeward Islands. The development of the system is currently slow and will likely move northwest over the next couple of days.
It could develop into a tropical depression by this weekend or early next week; tracking towards the eastern Gulf of Mexico. While the formation chance is low (20%) over the next 48 hours, it should be closely tracked through the weekend and into early next week as Florida and other gulf coast states might experience some heavy rain and other storm-like conditions.
Based on the latest tracking models, there is uncertainty regarding the storm's trajectory. Although current forecasts indicate a likely impact on Florida, the storm's projected path includes a trajectory into the Gulf of Mexico. Consequently, other Gulf Coast states should prepare for potential storm conditions.
Given that Florida has experienced the highest frequency of hurricanes over the past few decades, the state has developed robust hurricane preparation, planning, and warning systems. If the current tropical disturbance in the Atlantic continues to pose a low threat, Florida’s healthcare systems and supply chain are expected to remain at minimal risk.
Healthcare Ready will continue to monitor the disturbance through the weekend and into next week in the event that it strengthens into a named storm.
Potential Impacts to Health Care
Based on the HHS emPOWER Map, which displays the total number of at-risk electricity-dependent Medicare beneficiaries, Florida has over five million Medicare beneficiaries – the second most in the US – with 195,065 being at-risk beneficiaries.
At-risk beneficiaries are people that rely on certain essential health care services and electricity-dependent durable medical equipment, so it’ll be important to monitor this tropical disturbance in the event of power outages. Individuals and health care services should prepare adequately for those instances.
Additionally, Florida’s population of people 65+ years of age is around 21% so it is important for these individuals to properly prepare back up medications, alternative sheltering options, etc. incase of flooding, power outages, and extreme heat even after the storm has passed.
Potential Supply Chain Impacts
Florida has a growing healthcare industry which is reflected by their significant footprint within the medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.
If the current tropical disturbance continues to pose a low threat, Florida’s healthcare systems and supply chains are expected to remain at minimal risk because healthcare infrastructure and industry partners in the area are prone to storm conditions – and their preparedness plans should reflect that.
Healthcare Ready leverages unique relationships with government, nonprofit and medical supply chains to build and enhance the resiliency of communities before, during and after disasters.
Healthcare Ready leverages unique relationships with government, nonprofit and medical supply chains to build and enhance the resiliency of communities before, during and after disasters.
Healthcare Ready is approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (C)(3) tax-exempt organization, and all donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law. Healthcare Ready's Federal Identification Number (EIN) is 46-3134601.
Healthcare Ready, 1325 G St NW Suite 500, Washington, DC 20005, United States
