RANK: #3 (MEDIUM HOSPITALS)
When the warnings for Hurricane Irene hit the East Coast last August, many residents evacuated the region to escape the danger. But while throngs of people fled the scene, the IT crew at Bayonne Medical Center reported for work even though the facility was directly in the massive storm's path.

"It came up the coast with 100 mile-per-hour winds, and the staff left their homes not knowing if their families would be safe and what kind of damage they would have," CIO Don Lutz said admirably about his crew for their dedication. "Hospitals around us were evacuating, but our people stayed, sleeping on cots in their offices and keeping our systems up and running during the storm."

What prompts the type of commitment that compels people to brave a natural disaster to do their jobs? It stems from the instilled values of teamwork, camaraderie and fellowship, an effort "that involves everyone in the department…all work is coordinated so everyone is on the same page," Lutz says. "I have never lost sight of my staff being human beings with families. If someone's family member is ill, the entire department rallies around it. I want my staff to see I'm a person just like them and have a family like they do."

Ultimately, he wants people to feel empowered to make their own decisions while also listening to suggestions. The CIO's "open door" policy fosters a culture of trust that encourages people to freely air their opinions, he says. It also provides a transparency that enables everyone on the staff to know what is going on in the department.

With various IT initiatives in progress and lower revenues due to tighter reimbursement and budget cuts, information services staffs across the country are stressed like never before. Yet Lutz uses the tense situation as a platform for "having fun under pressure."

The staff is composed of individuals who value education and appreciate being sent to seminars, he says. Moreover, everyone is cross-trained in different skills, "which makes them feel like they are part of something…they always want to help and learn. We have people who could run the switchboard for operators if needed."

Go to the next hospital in the Medium Hospitals category >>
<< Go back to the previous hospital
Click here to go back to the 2011 Best Hospital IT Departments homepage