ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Power and water outages stemming from Hurricane Helen’s path through Western North Carolina have prompted some changes in services and visitation at local hospitals.

CHARLES GEORGE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER

The Asheville VA Medical Center is open for essential and emergency services only, ensuring that veterans receive the critical medical care they require during this time while maintaining safety protocols to protect patients and staff.

We are operating under a contingency plan for water, and we are running on generator power.

Regular appointments for Monday and Tuesday have been canceled. This includes the Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Hickory, Franklin and Forest City.

Please check the Asheville VAMC Facebook page for updates and resources.

We are kindly asking staff to please check in with their supervisors or on the Facebook page if they have not already and if they are able.

MISSION HOSPITAL

Mission Hospital moved into crisis protocol after the devastating flooding that wiped out mountain communities.

HCA Healthcare North Carolina Division president and Mission Hospital CEO Greg Lowe said the hospital has had more than 900 ER visits with more than 200 people admitted as a result of the flooding. He said the hospital had more than 700 patients as of Monday.

Lowe said two busloads of nurses have arrived to help give local staff breaks.

ADVENTHEALTH

AdventHealth is open, but the AdventHealth Medical Group offices will be closed Monday and Tuesday.

We appreciate you letting the community know that we are here to care for their medical needs.

The community can check the latest information regarding the care and services available by visiting AdventHealthWNC.com and clicking on the red Hurricane Helene Weather Alert banner at the top of the page.

While hospital officials are in the process of confirming water safety following the loss of service in the county, AdventHealth has contingency plans in place to safely care for patients and has received supplies including food, medicine, fuel and oxygen. Power is on at AdventHealth Hendersonville. The phone connection has been restored.

“Words cannot begin to express how grateful we are to our extraordinary team members for their efforts through the storm and as we work with our community to recover. Our team members, many dealing with their own loss of property, worked diligently to maintain our exceptional level of patient care, regardless of the weather and other challenges,” a statement from the hospital said. “We are devastated over the losses we have sustained and are praying for our community as we all work care for one another and recover from this storm.”

PARDEE

UNC Health Pardee has power and is maintaining stable operations.

“We are grateful to UNC Health and local and state emergency management partners for the resources they have and continue to provide to us during this difficult time,” a statement from the hospital said.

While we appreciate the support the community is showing to Pardee, we want to clear any confusion of where to find resources. There are emergency shelters at The Henderson County Athletics & Activity Center and WNC Agricultural Center. You can use this link to access that information. There are also six resource hubs for water and other supplies opening today at noon at Etowah Elementary, Rugby Middle, East Henderson High School, North Henderson High School, Mills River Town Hall, and Fletcher Town Hall.

As always, Pardee is available for your medical needs. The hospital and emergency department are open 24 hours daily for emergent medical care.

UNC Health Virtual Care is now available free of charge. Adult residents (ages 18+) of WNC can see a UNC Health primary care provider for mild symptoms without an appointment. Virtual services are available 6 am–10 pm, 7 days a week. They can use this link to get started.

MCDOWELL HOSPITAL

McDowell County Emergency Services is urging the public to refrain from going to McDowell Hospital to look for loved ones. Because of the ongoing emergency operations and capacity management, people are urged to make inquiries about patients or loved ones via phone, not in person.

If you are trying to locate a loved one, please call the dedicated information line at 828- 652-3241.

  • For missing persons, press 1.
  • For information on shelters, press 2.
  • For all other inquiries, press 0.
    We understand the concern and need for information during this critical time. To ensure the safety of all patients, staff, and the public, we must minimize congestion and prioritize emergency medical care at the hospital.

“We understand the concern and need for information during this critical time. To ensure the safety of all patients, staff, and the public, we must minimize congestion and prioritize emergency medical care at the hospital,” a statement from the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office said.

For additional updates and information, follow McDowell County Emergency Services on social media.