Medtronic: A Mission as a Blueprint

As 2019 came to a close and a new decade commenced, January’s Lunar New Year celebrations across China came to a screeching halt. The novel coronavirus had taken hold. By late March, COVID-19 had infected more than 786,0001 people globally, and a headline became every conversation the world over. Shortages of protective medical gear, hospital beds, staff, and answers left little room for a plan, leaving doctors and nurses working bed to bed, moment to moment.

As hospitals became flooded with critically ill patients, it quickly became clear that the global supply of ventilators would likely not meet the time-sensitive demand. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo estimated a need for 30,000 in his state alone. So we started by increasing production. Our Ireland facility doubled capacity and introduced 24/7 operations. We fortified our supply chain, brought in new partners, and trained new employees. But it wouldn’t be enough. The world needed something more sustainable.

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