Design Meets Operations: Navigating Change in Healthcare Facilities
In this episode of Facility Voices, David Trask sits down with Jeff O’Neill, Vice President of Plant Operations at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, for a thoughtful conversation about bridging design and operations in complex healthcare environments. An architect by training, Jeff began his career at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs before moving into healthcare consulting and later stepping into leadership roles at Penn Medicine. Today, he oversees both capital projects and day-to-day plant operations within the RWJBarnabas Health system.
Jeff shares how his dual perspective helps break down silos between construction and maintenance teams, why rounding with frontline staff leads to meaningful wins, and how small solutions—like improving elevator security—can have an outsized impact on safety and morale. He also reflects on leadership transitions, workforce development, and the growing importance of deferred maintenance in an era of rising construction costs.
Tune in to hear Jeff O’Neill’s story and insights from the front lines of facilities management.
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VP Plant Operations, RWJ University Hospital
Healthcare facilities & capital projects
Jeff O’Neill is Vice President of Plant Operations at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, part of the RWJBarnabas Health system, where he oversees plant operations and capital projects. He began his career with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and has since led healthcare design, development, and facilities operations from both the architect and owner perspectives. Jeff holds a Bachelor of Architecture from The Catholic University of America, along with ACHA and CHFM certifications, and is active with AIA, ASHE, the International Code Council, and the Facility Guidelines Institute.
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