Edward-Elmhurst employees bring innovation to life in competition

Pictured (L to R): Christine Jeffries, Chair, Edward Health Ventures Board; Mary Lou Mastro, System CEO, Edward-Elmhurst Health (EEH) ; Justin Irvin and Patty Noble, EEH Driven Idea Lab first prize winners; Annette Kenney, Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer, EEH; Sean Chou, Trustee, EEH System Board and Dr. Mark Gomez, Edward Medical Group.

Edward-Elmhurst Health has awarded thousands of dollars to employees for their ideas to make patient care more safe, seamless and personal.

The Driven Idea Lab™ was a competition designed to provide staff, physicians and volunteers of Edward-Elmhurst Health an opportunity to share their innovative healthcare solutions for process improvements or new healthcare products.

“Our employees are a valuable resource for creative solutions,” says Mary Lou Mastro, System CEO, Edward-Elmhurst Health. “We wanted to tap into their brilliant ideas to transform the patient experience at Edward-Elmhurst Health and they didn’t disappoint.”

Employees submitted 314 ideas. After two elimination rounds, semi-finalists and finalists received coaching and mentoring in workshops to fine-tune their projects. On Feb. 19, following presentations by the seven finalists, a panel of judges chose the top projects:

First place ($10,000): Patty Noble, PsyD, and Justin Irvin, LPC, Linden Oaks Behavioral Health – The Bookshelf: A Modern Resource for Clinicians. The Bookshelf is a digital database resource of committee-approved and evidence based information for employees to use to provide a quality group experience every time.

Second place ($7,500): Deborah Ruxton, MSN, RN, Elmhurst Hospital – Personal Transition Home. When they’re ready to go home, heart failure patients will receive an audio/video recording of their personal discharge session at the bedside.

Third place ($5,000): Janet Benedict, PT, DPT, CLT-LANA, Elmhurst Hospital – Personalized Care for Optimal Recovery During Cancer Survivorship. In this program, a free screening is provided by a rehabilitation professional before surgery to help identify patients who may benefit from physical therapy and provide education for their physical recovery.

For more information about the Driven Idea Lab, visit www.EEHealth.org/driven-idea-lab.