The Clinical Collaboration and Teamwork award is presented to the physician, nurse and/or team who engages colleagues in shared decision-making, fostering cooperation and open communication.

Lynette Mark, MD, Christy Gray, MD, PhD, Katherine Norgaard, MD, Vikesh Singh, MD, A. Christine Argento, MD, Mary-Rose Hess, BSN, RN, CGRN, and team

The Zayed 2 inpatient endoscopy unit is a skilled and dedicated team that brings together gastroenterologists, pulmonologists, anesthesiologists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, nurses, technicians and administrators in their shared commitment to providing the highest quality patient care. The unit faces daily challenges of heavy procedural loads involving medically complex, high-acuity patients. The endoscopy unit has become a highly efficient and collaborative team over the last few years, where every member of the team is valued and respected and their input is heard.

The Zayed 2 endoscopy team members have prioritized relationship-building and fostering a culture of process improvement toward clinical excellence for their patients. This has led to the creation of a highly efficient and productive environment for inpatients and complex outpatients, for both nontherapeutic and therapeutic procedures. As a result, room utilization has significantly improved, rising from 40%–55% in 2021 to 85%–90% today — significantly above the fiscal year patient care projections and budget estimate.

Patient safety is a top priority in the endoscopy unit, where the risks of adverse events are universally higher than in other clinical areas. Team members have monthly meetings to review all events in an effort to effectively improve patient safety and care. The endoscopy team continually demonstrates ingenuity by piloting innovative ideas that hold promise for improvements in both clinical care, workflow and provider wellness. Multidisciplinary staff retention is high, with a strong emphasis on institutional and international education initiatives, professional development and high-quality research.