HCA Healthcare Announces Partnership With Florida A&M University’s School of Allied Health Sciences

Health system to donate $1.5 million as part of commitment to expanding partnerships with HBCUs and HSIs

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA), one of the nation’s leading healthcare providers, today announced that it will donate $1.5 million to Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) School of Allied Health Sciences to strengthen students’ pathways from undergraduate to graduate to management careers in the healthcare industry.

The partnership is part of HCA Healthcare’s broader commitment announced earlier this year to give $10 million over the next three years to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) in order to advance diversity in healthcare.

“Through Capital Regional Medical Center and HCA Healthcare’s Tallahassee-based North Florida Division, the health system has a long history of collaboration with FAMU,” said Chuck Hall, Group President of HCA Healthcare. “This partnership strengthens our relationship with a leading university, provides exciting healthcare career opportunities for FAMU students, and helps advance diversity in healthcare.”

The partnership between HCA Healthcare and FAMU will help support increased undergraduate and graduate student enrollment in the School of Allied Health Sciences, with funding directed toward scholarships and internships to support the next generation of healthcare leaders. Additionally, the funding will support the building and operations of the School of Allied Health Sciences Simulation Lab that will be named the HCA Florida Healthcare Simulation Lab.

“We are excited to announce this partnership with FAMU to further our commitment to advancing diversity in healthcare,” said Sherri Neal, chief diversity officer of HCA Healthcare. “This partnership demonstrates our continued efforts in developing a diverse pipeline of healthcare professionals and future leaders which allows us to continue to make a positive impact on the communities we serve.”

HCA Healthcare affiliate, Capital Regional Medical Center, and FAMU have a long history of collaboration through leadership involvement in the university’s advisory boards and placement of students in clinical rotations and healthcare career pathways.

“The ongoing pandemic reminds us daily of the crucial importance of providing an adequate pipeline of skilled healthcare professionals,” said Florida A&M University President Larry Robinson, Ph.D. “This timely and generous partnership allows us to train more students who will join the frontlines of those fighting to protect America’s health. We thank HCA Healthcare for its leadership and vision.”

HCA Healthcare has a history of strategically partnering with organizations to develop future healthcare leaders. In 2019, the HCA Healthcare Scholars at Fisk University program was created to provide scholarships, career planning support and internship opportunities for high-achieving undergraduates. In addition, HCA Healthcare committed $1 million to Tennessee State University in 2015 to fund internship opportunities and support the growth of the Health Information Management program. These partnerships and others with industry- and school-based associations, including the National Urban League, the National Association of Health Services Executives and the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives, are part of HCA Healthcare’s continued efforts to strengthen the diversity of the organization’s talent pipeline.

About HCA Healthcare

Nashville-based HCA Healthcare is one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services comprising 183 hospitals and approximately 2,000 ambulatory sites of care, including surgery centers, freestanding ERs, urgent care centers, and physician clinics, in 20 states and the United Kingdom. With its founding in 1968, HCA Healthcare created a new model for hospital care in the United States, using combined resources to strengthen hospitals, deliver patient-focused care and improve the practice of medicine. HCA Healthcare has conducted a number of clinical studies, including one that demonstrated that full-term delivery is healthier than early elective delivery of babies and another that identified a clinical protocol that can reduce bloodstream infections in ICU patients by 44 percent. HCA Healthcare is a learning health system that uses its more than 32 million annual patient encounters to advance science, improve patient care and save lives. Please click here to connect with HCA Healthcare on social media.

About FAMU

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, founded on October 3, 1887, began classes with fifteen students and two instructors. Today, FAMU is one of 12 institutions in Florida's State University System and has nearly 10,000 students. FAMU offers 54 bachelor’s degrees, 29 master’s degrees, 12 doctoral degrees and three professional degrees. The three professional degrees include the J.D., Pharm.D., and the Doctor of Physical Therapy. The 12 doctoral degree programs include 11 doctoral degrees and one Doctor of Public Health. The 11 doctoral programs are: biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, physics, educational leadership, environmental science and entomology. For more information, visit FAMU.edu.

All references to “Company,” “HCA” and “HCA Healthcare” as used throughout this document refer to HCA Healthcare, Inc. and its affiliates