Colleage engagement and support
At HCA Healthcare, one of our top priorities is to help our colleagues and caregivers thrive personally and professionally. We do this by providing them with the benefits, resources and tools they need to succeed at work while also supporting their overall well-being.
Wellness support
In 2024, HCA Healthcare continued to provide well-being offerings that help care for our colleagues, such as:
Nurse Care: Full-time and part-time hospital-based nurses can access specialized support services through Nurse Care, a free and confidential 24/7 helpline that connects nurses to a master’s level professional specifically trained in the unique needs of caregivers. Additional resources, including articles and free courses that can be used for continuing education credit and licensing, are available through the online Nurse Care platform.
Optum Wellbeing: HCA Healthcare partners with Optum to provide colleagues and members of their immediate household up to eight free counseling sessions per topic each year. Therapists are available in person or virtually to discuss topics like stress and anxiety, drug or alcohol use, grief, relationships and financial concerns.
Andrey Arruda, Central Processing Tech, Central Sterile, Ogden Regional Medical Center
Fostering an engaged workplace
Vital Voices
In 2024, we saw our greatest improvement in engagement since the inception of our engagement survey program with a four-point increase in our enterprise engagement index and a six-point increase in the engagement index for our nurses. These results represent our highest engagement score of all time. HCA Healthcare’s ongoing investments in leadership development, competitive benefits, well-being resources, new technology that simplifies work for all and showing up when it matters most, such as during Hurricanes Helene and Milton, continue to contribute to the overall colleague experience.
Our Vital Voices program provides colleagues with opportunities to share feedback and ideas about their work experiences. Engagement surveys are conducted twice a year, and data gathered is used to inform local engagement action plans that seek to address colleague priorities across the organization.
Military community support
HCA Healthcare’s military affairs program facilitates the recruitment, development and support of veterans and military-connected individuals across the enterprise. This commitment resulted in the hiring of over 16,000 military-connected individuals from May 2022 to August 2024, as well as the creation of new employment pathways to help military service members as they transition to civilian careers.
- SkillBridge: Since 2022, HCA Healthcare has offered 19 SkillBridge experiences, which connect service members with real-world training and work experience in high-demand fields before they leave the military. These experiences resulted in 17 full-time hires spanning various business lines and locations across the U.S.
- Military Colleague Network: With chapters in each of our 16 divisions, the Military Colleague Network is a valuable resource for connecting veterans, military spouses and members of the National Guard and Reserve with career opportunities.
- Partnerships: HCA Healthcare partners with veteran organizations such as Operation Stand Down Tennessee and The Honor Foundation to provide career opportunities and mentorship programs for our veteran colleagues.
These efforts have earned HCA Healthcare Gold-Level recognition as a Veteran Ready Employer by the Tennessee Department of Veteran Services (TDVS), making HCA Healthcare one of only two employers in the state to receive this honor.
In 2024, HCA Healthcare earned the following distinctions for our efforts to support U.S. veteran and military communities:
- Military Times recognized HCA Healthcare as a Best for Vets employer for the fifth consecutive year, highlighting our efforts to recruit, retain and support current and former service members, military spouses and military caregivers.
- VIQTORY has recognized HCA Healthcare as a Military Friendly and Military Spouse Friendly employer for 14 consecutive years. In 2024, HCA Healthcare was honored with Gold distinction for the second consecutive year for our veteran hiring practices, programs and support initiatives.
- RecruitMilitary® has recognized HCA Healthcare as a 2024 Champion for Military Hiring based on the pursuit of hiring excellence.
- Disabled American Veterans® has recognized and awarded HCA Healthcare the Patriot Employer award for demonstrating an unwavering commitment to hiring and supporting military talent through employment policies, hiring practices and community outreach.
Above (left to right): HCA Healthcare’s Whitney Weeks, AVP of the HCA Healthcare Foundation; Joanne Pulles, VP of Community Engagement and President of the HCA Healthcare Foundation; Carlee Smith, Grants Manager of the HCA Healthcare Foundation; and Dana Patel, Director of the HCA Healthcare Foundation, helped connect colleagues with the HCA Healthcare Hope Fund as the first cohort of Middle Tennessee nurses boarded buses to Asheville to provide crucial staffing support during hurricane recovery efforts.
HCA Healthcare Hope Fund
Supporting our colleagues and families
In 2024, the Hope Fund surpassed
$115 million
in grants, helping more than 56,000 families since its inception in 2005.
The HCA Healthcare Hope Fund provided critical support to nearly 7,600 colleagues and their families in 2024, distributing more than $14.1 million in assistance. This 501(c)(3) nonprofit is run by colleagues, for colleagues and offers a lifeline to those facing financial hardship due to unexpected crises such as natural disasters, illness or injury, domestic violence or the loss of a loved one. Thanks to the generosity of more than 37,000 colleagues, help is available when it is needed most.
Ryan, a consultant systems engineer with HCA Healthcare Tennessee, faced a health crisis that required extended medical leave. The financial strain of his lost wages and medical expenses was overwhelming. The Hope Fund provided crucial support, allowing Ryan to focus on his recovery and alleviate his stress. Grateful for the assistance, Ryan encourages his colleagues to donate to the Hope Fund and seek help if they are facing financial hardship.
“The Hope Fund is a lifesaver – not just for me, but for the tens of thousands of folks who have been helped … Things can change in the blink of an eye, and there’s no shame in asking for help. Someday, you will pay it forward.”
Ryan O’Sullivan
In 2024, Hurricanes Helene and Milton devastated communities, impacting a record number of HCA Healthcare colleagues. The Hope Fund answered the call, granting $3.3 million to more than 3,500 colleagues in response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Facing unprecedented need, over 100 colleagues volunteered their time to support the Hope Fund and ensure rapid distribution of aid to those affected.
Stephanie Arrington, an RN from Asheville, NC, shared her story of how the Hope Fund helped her family rebuild.
When disaster strikes, we show up. Colleagues from all over the U.S. traveled at a moment’s notice to relieve care teams and support leadership at facilities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
“The loss of our home to Hurricane Helene was heartbreaking. As we work to rebuild, the love and support shown to us by our HCA Healthcare family through the Hope Fund will never be forgotten. You helped make our home our home again. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Recognizing
our people
We believe excellent people make excellence happen and therefore provide multiple opportunities to recognize the outstanding work our colleagues do each and every day.
Awards of Distinction
The HCA Healthcare Awards of Distinction are the highest honors we bestow on colleagues, physicians and volunteers. Presented in three categories — Frist Humanitarian Award, Innovators Award and Excellence in Nursing Award — these awards recognize the extraordinary individuals who exemplify our culture and values.
The Frist Humanitarian Award recognizes the highest achievements in serving others; the Innovators Award recognizes creative new ideas for enhancing quality of care; and the Excellence in Nursing Award recognizes the highest levels of performance in the field of nursing.
Visit HCA Healthcare Magazine to meet our 2024 recipients.