Path to Excellence: Justin Walbaum Finds Opportunity in Every Challenge

Stewart Memorial Hospital and Clinics is proud to recognize Justin Walbaum, IT Director, as its September Path to Excellence honoree. Since joining Stewart Memorial, Walbaum has helped strengthen the systems staff rely on every day while building a team focused on finding solutions, developing new skills and preparing the organization for the future.

Walbaum’s journey to Stewart Memorial began when he was faced with a decision about the future of his career. After considering a move to the Des Moines area for his job, he and his wife decided that relocating was not the right choice for their family. As he explored other opportunities, Stewart Memorial quickly stood out.

When Walbaum first joined Stewart Memorial, he stepped into a role filled with challenges and opportunities. His early focus was making sure the organization’s most critical technology systems were reliable and available to staff. Over time, his role has evolved into looking beyond immediate needs and building systems that improve efficiency, save time and help Stewart Memorial prepare for the future.

“Day one I was faced with challenges on every front,” Walbaum said. “The role has really transitioned from ensuring reliability of the most critical systems to building for the future and creating efficient systems that save time and money.”

That evolution has also changed the way Walbaum spends his time. Rather than being involved in every day-to-day IT issue, he has built a team that can take on more responsibility, allowing him to focus on planning, supporting his team and identifying opportunities for improvement.

The Stewart Memorial core value that most closely reflects Walbaum’s approach is Stewart’ship. For him, that means setting ambitious goals, investing in the growth of his team and looking for ways to turn challenges into opportunities.

“Along with achieving big things, I promote the growth of my team and other staff through cross-training and always taking the time to teach a skill rather than just doing it,” Walbaum said. “We are also focused on solutions and don’t get hung up on problems. We see those as opportunities.”

While technology is at the center of Walbaum’s role, he credits the people around him with helping him grow into his position and better understand the unique needs of a healthcare organization.

Coming to Stewart Memorial with experience in IT but new to the healthcare industry, Walbaum leaned on colleagues and peers to learn how his knowledge and experience could best serve the organization and community.

“Being new to my role and the healthcare industry, I relied heavily on my peers to teach me what I needed to know to do this job,” he said. “I brought the ambition and experience in IT to accomplish great things, and they helped me understand what that translates to for our organization and community.”

That exchange of knowledge continues to motivate Walbaum. He enjoys seeing the organization improve as a result of the work his team puts in, but he also finds motivation in watching staff learn new skills and seeing their excitement when something clicks.

“It’s incredibly motivating to me to see this organization grow and improve as a result of my hard work,” Walbaum said. “I see staff learning new concepts and I get to share in their excitement.”

Walbaum also sees his experience outside of healthcare as an opportunity to bring a different perspective to Stewart Memorial. By drawing on ideas and approaches from outside the healthcare industry, he looks for ways to help staff work more efficiently and discover solutions they may not have considered before.

For Walbaum, looking toward the future means more than implementing new systems. It means developing people, sharing knowledge and creating an IT team that can continue to support Stewart Memorial as the organization grows.

His commitment to problem-solving, professional development and long-term improvement reflects the Stewart’ship value celebrated through Stewart Memorial’s Path to Excellence recognition. By investing in his team and continually looking for ways to make work more efficient, Walbaum helps create a stronger foundation for the staff who support patients and families every day.

Stewart Memorial Hospital and Clinics congratulates Justin Walbaum on being recognized as the September Path to Excellence honoree and thanks him for his dedication to his team, his colleagues and the continued growth of the organization.