LEWISTON — The Central Maine Medical Center Volunteer Services Department has been recognized by a regional professional organization for innovative program development.

The New England Association for Directors of Hospital Volunteer Services awarded CMMC the 2012 President’s Award for Outstanding Program Development. The award is presented annually to recognize a new innovative hospital volunteer program in New England. CMMC Director of Volunteer Services Susan Hedrich accepted the award at the NEADHVS’s annual meeting.

CMMC’s “WorkForce RX Volunteer Equipment Shopping” program was implemented to solve a labor inefficiency —  that nurses spent valuable time searching for equipment such as wheelchairs, stretchers and commodes when their services were needed at the bedside, Hedrich explained.

A volunteer comes in two nights a week between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. to gather scattered equipment and return it to the appropriate areas so nurses do not have to search for it in the morning. The service allows nurses to spend more time with their patients, thus improving customer service while conserving resources, Hedrich said.