ALBANY — Thanks to a $40,689 donation from the Phoebe Sumter Foundation, Phoebe Sumter Medical Center is investing in an advanced laboratory system that will enhance quality of care and patient satisfaction.

“We are grateful to the Phoebe Sumter Medical Board and the Americus &Sumter County Hospital Authority who joined forces with us to make this possible,” said Faith Pinnell, Ph.D., new chair of the Phoebe Sumter Foundation. “Our not-for-profit, local health system depends on the support of the community to improve efficiencies and enhance the impact it has on the health of our citizens.”

• The new Cepheid cartridge-based, lab diagnostic system will impact the quality of and turnaround time for three key tests that have a high impact on patient care.

• Testing patients for Clostridium difficile (C-diff) which may be passed between patients and caregivers if unknown and enhanced precautions are not implemented

• Testing expectant mothers for Group B Strep which can be passed onto the baby during delivery

• Testing for sexually-transmitted chlamydia and gonorrhea

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov), 76-bed Phoebe Sumter Medical Center continues to rank 8th among top, small hospitals in Georgia in high quality of care and patient satisfaction and low rates of mortality, readmission and hospital-acquired infections.

Visit phoebeputney.com for more information about Phoebe Sumter Medical Center.