HCA (NYSE: HCA) today reported that three of the Company's hospitals in
the Houston, Texas area are being evacuated and two are being partially
evacuated in preparation for Hurricane Rita.
Mainland Medical Center in Texas City (226 beds), East Houston Regional
Medical Center in Houston (131 beds) and Clear Lake Regional Medical
Center in Webster (482 beds) are currently undergoing a complete
evacuation of patients and staff. These three hospitals will be closed
with only a skeleton crew of plant operations and security staff on the
premises during the storm.
Bayshore Medical Center in Pasadena (373 beds) is evacuating its
critically ill patients and Corpus Christi Medical Center in Corpus
Christi (583 beds) is evacuating critically ill babies. However both of
these facilities currently plan to remain operational with their
emergency departments accepting patients as needed.
Patients from all five hospitals are being moved to the following HCA
hospitals in the Houston area:
- Conroe Regional Medical Center, Conroe
- Kingwood Medical Center, Kingwood
- Spring Branch Medical Center, Houston
- West Houston Medical Center, Houston
- Woman's Hospital of Texas, Houston
"Hurricane Rita is a dangerous storm and we are taking our preparations
very seriously," said Jack O. Bovender, Jr., Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of HCA. "Our hospitals are well prepared and we
believe the lessons we have learned from Katrina and the 2004 hurricanes
in Florida will allow us quickly to reopen to serve the impacted
communities."
The Company is positioning extra supplies such as food, water, portable
generators, diesel fuel, plywood and linens in the area for use by
hospitals as needed. Also, additional clinical staff, and repair and
clean-up crews are on standby prepared to quickly move in once the storm
passes. The hospitals will resume full operations as soon as possible
once any damage that limits their capabilities has been repaired.
The combined revenue from the hospitals being fully evacuated was
approximately $492 million in 2004. The combined revenue from the
facilities being partially evacuated was approximately $404 million in
2004.
All references to "HCA" and the "Company" contained in this press
release refer to HCA and its affiliates. The term "facilities" refers to
entities owned or operated by subsidiaries or affiliates of HCA. This
press release contains forward-looking statements based on current
management expectations. Those forward-looking statements include all
statements other than those made solely with respect to historical fact.
Numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause actual results
to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking
statements. Many of the factors that will determine the Company's future
results are beyond the ability of the Company to control or predict. In
light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking
statements contained herein, readers should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements, which reflect management's views only as of
the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or
update any forward-looking statements, or to make any other
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding HCA's business
which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that
involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and
uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those
contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the
Company's Annual Report or Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal
year.
INVESTORS, Mark Kimbrough, +1-615-344-2688,
or MEDIA, Jeff Prescott, +1-615-344-5708,
both of HCA