Wildfires have ravaged South California in recent months, forcing health system leaders to navigate patient access disruptions while ensuring continuity of care. Beyond the immediate crisis, these disasters create lasting "access debt"—a backlog of delayed appointments and unmet patient needs that can overwhelm health systems long after the flames have died down. How can access leaders prepare for and recover from such disruptions?

This month, Founder and Executive Director Elizabeth Woodcock sits down with Aimee Corke, Director of Emergency Management and Business Continuity at Northwell Health; Connie Lee, MPH, FACHE, Senior Director of Patient Access at UCLA Health; and Leigh Bouskila Turk, MHA, Director of Practice Development and Support Services at Nicklaus Children’s.

The leaders share firsthand experiences managing patient access during wildfires, hurricanes, and other emergencies—discussing business continuity strategies, recovery planning, and how to maintain access in the face of disruption.