While hospitals in the Southeast largely stayed open during Hurricane Helene, they were not unscathed. The massive system battered the region's health centers, causing blackouts, wind damage, supply issues and flooding — leading to a dramatic rescue of patients and workers at the Unicoi County Hospital in eastern Tennessee. Most hospitals used generators or backup systems to power their facilities through the hurricane. Many places halted elective procedures. Few closed completely. Providers are now in the recovery phase. Healthcare workers are still unaccounted for in western North Carolina, where at least 57 people died in and around Asheville. Officials also say mental healthcare facilities were destroyed in that area.
