Key Takeaways:

• The Initiative: Evara Health’s EvaraReady is a hurricane continuity-of-care program that protects high-risk patients during severe weather and other emergencies.

• The Award: EvaraReady earned a $50,000 award through ACH’s Entrepreneur Challenge, in collaboration with UnitedHealthcare Community & State.

• How It Works: A year-round, QR-code-enabled, pharmacy-led care model delivers proactive outreach, emergency medication refills and supplies, plus specially prepared storm care bags for high-risk patients.

• Key Benefits: EvaraReady will help prevent life-threatening medication gaps, reduce avoidable E.R. visits, and create a disaster readiness model for other CHCs.

Redefining Disaster Response in Community Health

When severe weather like hurricanes, floods, and wildfires strike, the impact is often devastating to community homes and roads. And for people with chronic conditions like diabetes or substance use disorder (SUD), a severe storm can quickly become a healthcare access crisis. Power outages, closed health clinics, and disrupted access to supplies and transportation can turn normal care management into a life-threatening emergency.

Through ACH’s Community Health Entrepreneur Challenge, in collaboration with UnitedHealthcare Community & State, Evara Health was awarded one of two $50,000 grants. Now in phase 3, these grants fund practical, scalable innovations from ACH’s member network of health centers.

Based in Florida, Evara Health is tackling care disruptions from disasters with its innovative model: EvaraReady: Hurricane Continuity of Care Program.

Moving From Checklist to Year-Round Care

Traditionally, disaster preparedness in healthcare has relied on a reactive, post-storm response. Evara Health is shifting that model by treating hurricane readiness as a year-round, patient-centered, continuity-of-care initiative.

“Recognizing that storms can cause clinic closures, power outages, medication interruptions, and transportation challenges, Evara Health developed the program to ensure patients remain connected to care before, during, and after emergencies,” explained Frank “J.R.” Gantt, director of facilities & project management at Evara. “The goal is to proactively support continuity of care and prevent avoidable health crises rather than simply reacting after a disaster occurs.”

By shifting to a continuous care approach, EvaraReady ensures that high-risk patients are identified and supported before a storm enters the forecast.

How EvaraReady Works: Tech-Enabled, Pharmacy-Led Model of Coordinated Care

The crux of EvaraReady is its seamless coordination between technology, internal pharmacy networks, and front-line care teams.

EvaraReady offers:

• Year-Round QR Code Enrollment: Patients enroll anytime by scanning a QR code, connecting them with the Evara Pharmacy team and assigning them to a primary pharmacy location.
• Pre-Storm Outreach: When a storm approaches, automated and direct outreach confirms that enrolled patients have sufficient medications and supplies.
• Rapid Dispensing & Delivery: If assistance is needed, patients use a QR code to authorize rapid prescription preparation, pickup, or door-to-door delivery.
• Tailored Storm Care Bags: High-risk patients receive specialized supply kits, including glucometers, test strips, alcohol wipes, travel sharps containers, and condition-specific emergency materials.

This approach helps maintain care for patients who are dependent on time-sensitive or highly regulated medications like insulin for diabetes management or buprenorphine for SUD treatment.

Strengthening Health Care Access and Community Resilience

When care continuity breaks down during a storm, E.R.s can become overwhelmed with non-emergency chronic care cases. EvaraReady reduces this burden while keeping high-risk patients stable in their homes or another safe location.

“Hurricanes are not only weather events; they are healthcare access events, medication access events, behavioral health events, and equity events,” said Gantt. “By combining QR-code access, internal pharmacy coordination, medication delivery, proactive outreach, and emergency supply support, EvaraReady helps reduce medication interruptions, supports patient safety, and strengthens continuity of care.”

This, in turn, benefits the wider community. In the aftermath of a disaster, providers, staff, and local emergency responders can focus on care where it’s most needed. Explained Gantt, by establishing clear referral pathways during severe weather events, EvaraReady can help prevent E.R. visits and more easily reconnect patients to care more quickly after storms.

A Replicable Playbook for Health Centers Nationwide

As weather-related events and other disasters increase in frequency across the country, health centers need proven, scalable strategies that preserve integrated care and reinforce patient trust. Evara plans to share its lessons to help other health centers with their own disaster response planning.

“Whether preparing for hurricanes in Florida or exploring drone technology in Ohio, these projects reflect the innovative spirit that defines the health center movement,” said Amanda Pears Kelly, ACH CEO. “We are proud to support efforts that strengthen community resilience, improve patient outcomes, and generate new ideas that can benefit health centers nationwide.” 

To date, the Entrepreneur Challenge has awarded $2.7 million across nine transformative projects, ensuring that community health centers remain resilient, trusted anchors of care, no matter what the weather brings.