Jackson College Prepares Space for Potential Field Hospital; Opens Housing to Health Care Workers

(March 29, 2020 2:07 PM) Jackson College is working with Henry Ford Allegiance Health as the hospital prepares for an influx of COVID-19 patients. 

Jackson College President Dr. Dan Phelan said the College is already supplying equipment and supplies to HFAH.  “We’ve been working with Paula Autry (HFAH CEO) and her team on many levels.  One, we are providing supplies.  Over 10,000 masks, surgical gowns, gloves, cleaning materials and the like have been delivered to the hospital,” said Phelan. “The college has approximately 20 ventilators, about half of those we loaded onto a truck and delivered this week.”

Phelan told JTV that they are holding onto some supplies and ventilators in the event the campus becomes a field hospital.

“As an educational institution, we create simulations spaces for our health students.  We are a mini-hospital or field hospital in many respects,” said Phelan.  “Our health laboratory center has rooms that look like hospital suites.  We have medical equipment that our students need to practice on.  We’ve been readying that space for potential occupancy as a field hospital”.

Over the weekend, preparations began to convert two of the Campus View housing buildings into temporary residences for health care workers.  A number of Allegiance employees are choosing to stay closer to the hospital campus to help care for the growing number of COVID-19 patients being treated in Jackson County.

“With all colleges and universities across the country closing their campuses and moving to a completely online environment during the COVID-19 pandemic, we had available student residence space and saw a need we could help fill,” said Phelan. “The Henry Ford Allegiance Health team members are engaged in vital and heroic work, and we’re honored to provide them with nearby lodging in a secure environment, together with access to technology, food, and beverage to keep them sustained during this ordeal. We are pleased to join other community organizations in helping support Henry Ford Allegiance Health.”

“Our team members could not be more grateful to Jackson College,” said Carey Johnson, RN, Situation Leader for the hospital’s Incident Command team. “For those of us who are working long hours and have long commutes, Jackson College is giving us the gift of time and rest, which is invaluable right now. These accommodations also provide many of us with peace of mind, knowing we’re able to protect our families from possible exposure to COVID-19.”

Signs on the Jackson College campus were installed to welcome Henry Ford Allegiance Health team members.