Supporting Front Line Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

As a national healthcare account manager in Rockaway, NJ, Dawn Johnson and her team regularly work with healthcare organizations to drive the outcomes that matter most. During the COVID-19 pandemic, that mission was more crucial than ever.

Dawn Johnson, national healthcare account managerEmploying a customer-driven approach, she helped transform the Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, one of the largest hospitals in the United States, to support front line workers and patients during early days of the pandemic. Her team, composed of subject matter experts with over 100 years of combined experience in the healthcare sector, worked collaboratively as part of an essential services project to share their expertise in fire alarms, communications and much more.

How are you “the power behind our customers’ mission” during the COVID-19 crisis?
We promise to advance the safety, comfort and intelligence of our customers’ buildings and healthcare facilities to make their goals a reality. The way we responded within hours to the Bergen New Bridge Medical Center urgent request for support is a great example of how we enabled them to deliver essential services on the front line. We worked closely with the hospital to extend its 1,070-bed capacity by developing an alternative healthcare facility consisting of a 130 beds, housed in a tent and gym complex to accommodate patients being treated for COVID-19. The team worked extensively to drive the project through to completion by getting the right team in place to guide our customer and help them to choose the right products and solutions for the new facility.

What motivated you and your team to step up to the challenge?
The center is the largest hospital in New Jersey and the fourth-largest publicly owned hospital in the United States. Our customer knew they could count on Johnson Controls and had the confidence that we would deliver given the urgency of the request. New Jersey has recorded over 164,000 cases of COVID-19 with Bergen County reporting the highest number of cases on record across the state in May. Knowing we were supporting not only an essential project but also our local community, families and friends motivated us to step up to the challenge. Our team worked with third-party service providers to deliver our best-in-class Simplex Fire Alarm and TekTone Nurse Call systems and prepare the facility for immediate use by staff and patients.

How did Johnson Controls Zero Harm guidelines impact the way you and your team worked?
The team has over 100 years of experience working in the healthcare sector. We rigorously apply the Johnson Controls Zero Harm protocols while working on site, as well as aligning with the customer’s own specific guidance for their healthcare facility. As a key partner for the Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, we practiced physical distancing and wore the appropriate Personal Protection Equipment, which enabled us to work safely and complete essential work for the alternative healthcare facility.

In your opinion, what makes Johnson Controls such a powerful partner to customers?
Johnson Controls customers have access to a team of subject matter experts who have unparalleled experience in the industry. This, combined with our large portfolio of products and solutions, enables them to transform their spaces for specific purposes. Bringing our knowledge of the healthcare sector helps us understand their unique organizational needs and buildings. We have the expertise, experience and portfolio of technology and solutions to deliver immediate results and ultimately support our healthcare system in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in New Jersey.