I continue to be impressed by stories from the field about how our teams are being there for customers in these difficult times.
That certainly includes all the heroic doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals out there battling this unseen enemy. We’re counting on them to get us through this crisis. And they’re counting on us for connectivity and devices to change the way they operate, stand up new facilities, and keep serving those in need.
Here are just a few examples of how we’re making a difference:
Pop-Up Testing and Hospital Facilities
As providers rush to set up trauma centers and pop-up testing locations, we’re there to help with mobile broadband kits powered by FirstNet. These kits consist of a router in a hard-sided case on a FirstNet unlimited data plan to provide quick connectivity. Those on the front lines of this crisis can use these kits to help connect critical pop-up testing and triage locations from school gymnasiums to tents in parking lots.
Another great example comes from a hospital outside Boston. After an urgent request for wireless connectivity, Janice Govan, a business acquisition seller from our Retail team, reached across numerous internal channels in New England to locate equipment. Janice tracked down – and then hand-delivered – 15 phones and five mobile Wi-Fi hotspots. Since that initial order, the customer has ordered over 50 devices adding USB sticks and tablets. They also sent us a note saying, “Janice, I have to say you are the best rep we have. You go above and beyond for us. Thank you so much.”
Working remotely – On a Cure
Government researchers and health professionals are working nonstop to study COVID-19 and develop a vaccine and cure. AT&T and IBM are providing an integral government health agency with a cloud-based virtual desktop solution that allows researchers to access and share vital information while working remotely. The solution can support up to 600 remote workers at once. It includes AT&T virtual private networking for fast, highly secure access to the IBM Cloud for Government.
Virtual Visitation
Imagine what many families face right now – having a hospitalized child and not being able to visit. At a leading children’s hospital in Georgia, our Healthcare Solutions team within AT&T Business has jumped in to help. We provided tablets so that family members who can’t be there face-to-face can visit virtually. And tablets don’t have visiting hours, so this solution connects anxious, young patients with their parents both day and night.
Telehealth
We are equipping doctors and hospitals with the connectivity to help patients via video calls, messages and more. VitalTech, a company specializing in virtual care, telehealth and remote patient monitoring, will use AT&T’s highly secure connectivity and data analytics with the VitalCare platform to connect patients to physicians in new ways.
We are also helping doctors transition their practices from physical to virtual. We worked with an infectious disease specialist consulting with the CDC who herself is at risk due to a lung condition. Since her work location could have exposed her to COVID-19, we quickly moved her high-speed internet service from her normal office to a more isolated one. She still needed to consult patients, so we gave her the ability to do that via video. The whole process took around 24 hours using our recently set up COVID-19 Command Centers.
Socially-Distant Waiting Rooms
Not all health care is COVID-19-related. For any reason, this is a scary time to visit the doctor. So, our teams worked with a cardiology office to create virtual waiting rooms using 25 tablets. This lets higher-risk patients check in from their cars and wait there until called by the doctor. Solving a pressing problem in unprecedented times. Pretty remarkable.
Giving Back
I’m also pleased to announce that AT&T is committing $5.5 million to provide much needed support – in the form of nourishing meals – for first responders, medical personnel and others in need impacted by COVID-19. The effort begins now with a $1.5 million contribution to World Central Kitchen. Be on the lookout for more.
All of our customers need us right now, but we can take special pride in supporting front-line medical personnel working around the clock to treat patients and save lives.
A huge shoutout to all of you supporting our healthcare frontlines during this increasingly trying crisis. Maria Lensing, VP Global Business Healthcare Solutions, said it best, “these aren’t circuits, but a lifeline in the war against COVID-19.”
To these teams and so many more not named, "thank you" will never be enough.
Stay safe, be well, and continue to do what you do best – be there for each other.
