ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – On its 115th anniversary, UW Health SwedishAmerican Hospital praises its employees for their integrity and commitment to excellence.
The health system hosted its annual Founder’s Day employee picnic on June 3 and presented its 2026 Anderson Quality Awards to one individual and one medical team.
Kim Wolgast received this year’s individual award for her work supporting patients affected by domestic violence. She works in the emergency department and plays a key role with the Medical Advocacy Response Program, an initiative between the hospital and Rockford’s Family Peace Center.
“It’s pretty amazing. I’ve been doing this work for a very long time because it’s something I’m very passionate about,” Wolgast said. “I usually try to stay out of the limelight, and I like to be the boots-on-the-ground with our patients and with our community, so to be brought to the top is unbelievable.”
The medical imaging section earned the team award. Led by Denise Reeser and Andrea Bennett, the group improved wait times for appointments – bringing the average from 25 days down to 11.
“We’ve added new technologists to our team and it’s really helped,” explained MRI tech Adrian Johnson. “We work together as a cohesive team. We’ve really strived to get our patients in at a faster pace so they can their tests done. That’s the most important thing I think.”…