How Tina Vidal-Duart leads a national humanitarian network

When hurricanes, floods or wildfires devastate communities across the United States, one of the first organizations mobilized is CDR Health, a division of CDR Companies specializing in emergency and public health services. Led by Tina Vidal-Duart, CDR Health aims to redefine what it means to bring healthcare to people when and where they need it most.

“We are hands-on people,” says Vidal-Duart. “Our job is to step in when access to traditional health care collapses, to ensure that even in the face of total loss, people can still receive urgent, ongoing care.”

CDR Health operates throughout the continental United States, providing health services through government agencies and partnerships with federal, state and local authorities. Its teams respond to various emergencies, hurricanes, wildfires, winter storms and floods, and also provide specialized care to refugees, rural populations and people with disabilities or chronic illnesses.

Born from CDR’s expertise in emergency management, CDR Health emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, which laid the foundation for its current model: a large-scale medical logistics and healthcare delivery system designed for disaster areas.

Vidal-Duart explains that the business is typically activated 5-7 days before a major disaster makes landfall. “We are starting to prepare medications, establish clinical teams and coordinate with local authorities to ensure continuity of care,” she says. “By the time the storm passes, we are already on site, ready to operate mobile medical units and temporary clinics.”

The first 30 to 60 days following a disaster are crucial. During this time, local hospitals and pharmacies are often damaged or inaccessible. CDR Health steps in to provide primary and urgent care, pharmacy and prescription refills, and public health support to residents who would otherwise go without care.

“For many patients, the problem is not only the injuries caused by the storm, but also the disappearance of the doctor’s office,” explains Vidal-Duart. “We are here for the person who needs insulin, heart medication or wound care when all nearby clinics are closed.”

The company’s clinicians also address the secondary wave of injuries that follow disasters, chainsaw cuts, falls, infections and dehydration. “People underestimate how dangerous the cleaning phase can be,” she says. “We deal with the consequences, the hidden consequences that come after the headlines fade.”

Beyond disasters, CDR Health provides health care to refugees and migrants under government contracts, offering screenings, vaccinations and ongoing medical care to vulnerable populations. It also operates home and rural health care programs, expanding medical access to underserved communities even during normal times.

“Our mission is about equity,” Vidal-Duart says. “Whether you live in the city or on the edge of a wildfire zone, you deserve consistent, high-quality care.”

To maintain such reach, CDR Health has a core team of licensed healthcare professionals and relies on a national roster of contracted clinicians who can be activated within hours. The company’s operational strength lies in its coordination with other divisions of the CDR Companies, including engineering and emergency management, to construct and equip mobile clinics, shelters and field support infrastructure.

“We have the advantage of being part of a family of companies that can literally build what we need,” notes Vidal-Duart. “If we need a clinic in a parking lot within 48 hours, our specialized teams can make it happen.

This integrated model allows CDR Health to act quickly and scale effectively, serving disaster victims, first responders, long-term recovery teams and local governments seeking sustainable solutions.

Ultimately, Vidal-Duart views CDR Health as a healthcare provider and recovery partner. “When someone’s world is turned upside down, we want to be the calm in the chaos,” she says. “We are working to save lives and help people rebuild them.”

From the ashes of wildfires to the flooded streets of hurricane zones, CDR Health continues to stand on the front lines of crisis response, an unwavering presence where healthcare meets humanity.