During the highest surge in COVID-19 cases at Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center, 14502 W. Meeker Blvd., last October, hospital administrators worked to improve service.
While the work was already in progress, they realized the opportunity to apply for the 2021 UNIVANT of Healthcare Excellence Award. This award was created by health organizations from around the world to recognize exceptional projects that highlight innovative problem solving and the novel use of laboratory science.
Kimm Wuestenberg, associate director quality improvement, said while the surge was taking place, staffing shortages were also taking place, including in the lab and nursing department. The need to improve timeliness of morning lab results was important to prepare patients for discharge, skilled-nursing facilities or longer hospital stays.
