On Oct. 10, Hurricane Michael made landfall, the strongest storm to ever hit the Florida Panhandle. The 155 miles per hour winds ripped apart homes, overturned cars and uprooted trees. The streets and neighborhoods that people used to live in are now in shambles, leaving communities without food, shelter, water, electricity and medical help.
UnitedHealthcare and its parent company, UnitedHealth Group, saw an opportunity to help. UnitedHealthcare provided bags filled with items like deodorant, soap and snacks. Meanwhile, a team of Optum and WellMed clinicians operated a free mobile clinic to provide health care directly to people living in Panama City, Florida, an area devastated by Hurricane Michael. The staff helped treat hurricane victims for various issues, including head wounds, serious lacerations, broken bones, chest pain and shortness of breath.
Over five days, the team volunteered 80 hours of their time and helped 225 patients at the mobile clinic.