LANETT — In March, Diversicare of Lanett Administrator Annie Swanson received the company’s Leadership Spotlight Award, which recognizes outstanding performance among the company’s more than 9,400 team members.

She’s followed that up with an even more significant award, the company’s Award of Excellence. Out of the company’s 72 locations in 10 states, Diversicare of Lanett is ranked as the company’s top-performing facility.

“We almost made it last year,” she told an overflow crowd Thursday afternoon in Diversicare of Lanett’s activity room. “We came up one point short. I challenged our team members to do everything they could to chase this honor actively. They familiarized themselves with the scorecard, and they realized the excellent level of performance we were already meeting in our day-to-day operations.  We all thought ‘Why not Team Lanett? Why couldn’t we rise to the top of the company?”

The cause of having everyone working together to reach that goal paid off.

It was announced that Team Lanett has won the coveted Excellence Award for the current year.

Out of 72 Diversicare locations in the U.S., only one of them receives this award each year, and this year it’s Lanett.

“Our team members every minute, every hour, every day and every month to reach this goal,” Swanson said. “Our company’s mission statement is to improve every life we touch, provide exceptional health care and exceed expectations. I always tell our team members what a powerful statement that is, and they have wrapped their arms around it and lived it, anchored by the Diversicare Service Standards. I am so proud of each team member for their part in reaching this goal.”

She said the senior leadership and region team were integral to the team’s success.

“They are our guardian angels,” Swanson said. “I want to thank our medical director, Dr. Joseph Downs, Merrill Allen and Dr. Feliican Jones. Thanks to our healthcare partners, hospice, home health agencies, other area long term care facilities and our vendors who provide much-needed services to us and our patients/residents every day. You could choose to go anywhere for your care, and you chose us. For that, we are eternally grateful.”

Swanson said it was a privilege to provide care for the community.

“I have asked my team to never take that for granted,” she said. “I ask them to do the right thing every time. With that, everything else will fall in place.

Diversicare’s Spotlight Award recognizes the company’s peak performers. They provide the very best service excellence to patients, residents, families and team members.

“Ms. Swanson continues to champion the team with the intent to make them better,” reads a company news release announcing the award. “She is always streamlining the best for her team members and helping them reach their goals. Her plan of action not only includes the center but the center grounds, team members, the community and those affected. She has a way of getting everyone involved to meet the needs of the team members and residents. Ms. Swanson’s overall experience in nursing and operations has been instrumental in her development as one of the best administrators in long-term care.”

Diversicare provides post-acute care services to skilled nursing center patients and residents in ten states, primarily in the Southeast, Midwest and Southwestern U.S.

Diversicare operates 72 skilled nursing and senior housing centers containing 8,214 licensed nursing beds.