Weathering The Storm: Lessons Learned from The Healthcare Response to Hurricane Helene, Part 2 - WNC Health Policy Podcast Ep. 17
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Understanding the Research Process: Lessons from Healthcare Professionals in WNC After Hurricane Helene
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, healthcare professionals across Western North Carolina (WNC) faced a unique set of challenges—from infrastructure disruptions to emergency care delivery in rural and resource-limited settings. Their experiences offer valuable insight into how healthcare systems can respond to and recover from natural disasters, particularly in regions like WNC where geographic and socioeconomic factors compound the complexity of emergency response.
This ongoing study, led in partnership with the North Carolina Center for Health and Wellness (NCCHW), aims to document and analyze the lessons learned by healthcare providers during and after the storm. By focusing on the lived experiences of frontline professionals, the research seeks to inform future disaster preparedness and response strategies in rural healthcare systems.
In Part 2 of our podcast series, we move beyond the background and objectives of the study introduced in Part 1, and turn our attention to the research process itself. This episode provides a behind-the-scenes look at how the study is being designed and implemented, with the goal of demystifying the process for listeners and demonstrating how real-world challenges are translated into structured academic inquiry.
Topics covered in the episode include:
The development of the research framework and study design
Methodologies being employed, including qualitative interviews and thematic analysis
Ethical considerations when working with healthcare professionals as study participants
The importance of community engagement and regional context in rural disaster research
We are once again joined by Alex Mitchell and Soni Pitts of NCCHW, who share insights on how the research team is navigating complex logistical and methodological questions, and how this work contributes to broader public health goals in the region.
This episode also serves as a valuable resource for students and early-career professionals interested in public health, healthcare systems research, or disaster preparedness. It highlights potential pathways for involvement and illustrates the importance of localized, practitioner-informed research.
🎧 Listen to Part 2 via the audio bar above, or via Apple Podcasts or Spotify
💡Learn more about this research project: Announcing a New WNC HPI Podcast Series Exploring Lessons from The Healthcare Response to Hurricane Helene
📌 Stay tuned for Part 3, where we will explore preliminary findings and their implications for practice and policy.
About the WNC Health Policy Podcast: In each installment, we speak about different public health strategies for improving health and well-being in Western North Carolina (WNC). The WNC HPl is a collaboration between the NC Center for Health & Wellness at UNCA and MAHEC, with generous support from the Dogwood Health Trust.
Individual opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this podcast are those of the author(s)/interviewee(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the WNC Health Policy Initiative or its host institutions of the University of North Carolina Asheville (UNCA), Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) or our funders.
Transcript
AR: Andrew Rainey (WNC HPI)
SP: Soni Pitts (WNC HPI)
AM: Alex Mitchell (NC Center for Health and Wellness)
