8CIOReview | | OCTOBER 2024IN MY OPINIONREBOUNDING FROM COVID-19 IN CONSTRUCTION AND LESSONS LEARNED IN HEALTHCARE CONSTRUCTIONBy Jay Bangert, Vice President of Operations, The Hagerman GroupDo we ever look in the mirror and ask ourselves, "What did we do before COVID-19?" As we plan for our construction projects today, it takes more effort, planning, and collaboration with our teams to be more creative with solutions.The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted various industries, including construction and healthcare. Essential lessons must be learned from the challenges and innovations that emerged during this period as the world works toward recovery.Resilience and Adaptability: The pandemic highlighted the importance of resilience and adaptability in construction and healthcare. Construction projects were either delayed or disrupted due to supply chain issues, labor shortages, and lockdown measures. Healthcare facilities had to rapidly adapt to changing patient needs, such as converting spaces into temporary hospitals and creating isolation units. Our initial changes within the hospital continuously modified and adapted as more information about COVID-19 became available. Supply Chain Diversification: The construction industry learned the importance of diversifying supply chains to reduce dependency on a sole source. Shortages of materials like lumber and steel led to project delays and increased costs. Moving forward, construction companies should prioritize local suppliers and maintain a more robust inventory of critical materials. This is a complete mindset change from the past ten years, with construction teams focusing on "just-in-time
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