Nashville. TN//March 26, 2024
Recognizing a sterile processing team's unwavering commitment to excellence, as well as the expansive, influential role it plays within its facility, Healthcare Purchasing News has named Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago as its 2024 SPD of the Year.
Those who judged this year’s 2024 HPN SPD of the Year nominations scored Lurie Children’s Hospital’s SPD team high across all five criteria categories: customer service, productivity, teamwork, education and training, and strategic outlook.
The article featured in April’s edition highlights the team’s challenges and solutions surrounding staffing, how the department develops SP professionals, and educational initiatives.
Kara Nadeau, Senior Contributing Editor and author of the article on Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital said, "Behind every award-winning sterile processing department lies the unwavering commitment and expertise of its individual professionals. The journey of Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital underscores that nurturing the growth of each team member not only elevates the department but also inspires others across the nation towards excellence and shared knowledge."
Interestingly, the Lurie Children's SPD team submitted their nomination to HPN at the time when “the damaging effects of the January 31, 2024 cyber-attack had disabled all computer networks at Lurie Children's Hospital and associated clinics and ambulatory surgery centers.”
They had no access to the hospital’s electronic medical record system; no communication between the EMR and associated partner programs, including their instrument tracking system; and no telephone access or Wi-Fi operated telephone access.
Despite these challenges, the Lurie Children's SPD team instituted manual processes to meet all needs of the OR and hospital.
Read the story here.
