Healthcare Design - September 2021 - 23

FACILITY MANAGER
JONATHAN HUNLEY
CHFM, CHC, CHOP, CHEPP, LEED GA, Director of
Infrastructure, Bon Secours Mercy Health (Cincinnati)
J
OINING BON SECOURS Mercy Health
(BSMH) in Cincinnati in September
2019, Jonathan Hunley was brought on
board to oversee $500 million in infrastructure
improvements planned over
the next five years for the organization, which
encompasses 35 hospitals and more than 15
million square feet. Some of that work includes
new and expanded central utility plants to accommodate
peak demands and implementing
a strategic partnership to address the entirety
of the roofing portfolio for all of BSMH's acute
hospital campuses, through a master maintenance
and replacement program with a national
building envelope vendor.
In his role, Hunley represents BSMH in relationships
with department heads, architecture
and engineering firms, contractors, and consultants
for all infrastructure projects, as well
as providing oversight for projects from inception
all the way through to completion. His priorities
include evaluating and assessing infrastructure
needs for each facility and prioritizing
projects based on a set criteria that revolve
around regulatory compliance, energy effi ciency
improvements, and patient experience. As a
member of the BSMH Sustainability Council
and Patient Safety and Accreditation Councils,
Hunley aligns his work with the strategic goals
of the organization to implement new policies
that eff ect network-wide change, including infection
control and interim life safety measures,
and sustainability programs.
On top of that, within a few months on the
job, his focus shifted to include helping 35 facilities
prepare for surges in COVID-19 cases
and ensure occupant health and safety. For
example, he developed a set of internal guidelines
for facility manager teams to use for
temporary surge set-up by utilizing recommendations
from ASHE and ASHRAE. He's
also making an impact on a national and international
level, volunteering on a working
committee for the World Health Organization
to develop COVID-19 hospitals for developing
countries; as a member of the National Fire
Protection Agency electrical committee to inform
national building codes for emergency
power systems; and on ASHRAE's National
Healthcare Technical Committee, where he
provides insight and review of ASHRAE 170,
which will set the American National Standard
for future healthcare facilities.
As his HCD 10 nomination states, Hunley is
" never satisfied with the status quo-always
looking for strategic opportunities to improve
the practice of healthcare facility management
and infrastructure planning. "
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB?
I love the flexibility and control I'm given
to build the infrastructure program here at
BSMH. I've been entrusted to develop and maintain
this program and given all the resources I
would ever need to do so. I've been able to take
a career's worth of knowledge and create something
from scratch. It's been very rewarding to
watch it succeed.
WHAT INDUSTRY CHALLENGE DO YOU HOPE
TO SOLVE?
The lack of resiliency preparedness needed within
our facilities as it relates to different disasters/events
that impact them. These events show
themselves in many ways, and the industry is
severely lacking to face them head on. This also
has a steep financial commitment that comes
with it, and we have many people who need to
better understand where to wisely invest within
our facilities and where not to.
WHAT DID YOU LEARN OVER THE PAST YEAR?
By working remotely full time, we've learned
how to leverage technology to work productively
and reduce our travel to markets versus life before
the pandemic.
SEP TEMBER 2021
23
Healthcare Design - September 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Healthcare Design - September 2021
