Lifeline of Ohio and Hospital Partners Recognized For Efforts to Increase Donation
Four local hospitals and Lifeline of Ohio were part of an elite group honored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) on Oct. 4, 2012. HRSA recognized 404 hospitals, 38 organ procurement organizations (OPOs) and 174 transplant programs for their success in increasing the number of organs available for transplantation.
The following local organizations took top honors:
• Mount Carmel East, Silver Medal of Honor
• Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Silver Medal of Honor
• Riverside Methodist Hospital, Bronze Medal of Honor
• Wexner Medical Center at The Ohio State University, Bronze Medal of Honor
• Lifeline of Ohio, Silver Organ Procurement Organization Award
The Medals of Honor were given to hospitals for improving donation rates, increasing the number of organs donated per individual donor and expanding clinical processes for recovering organs. Additionally, Lifeline of Ohio took home a medal for meeting donation goals.
“The commitment our partner hospitals have to donation means more lives saved,” said Jennifer Howell, hospital relations manager at Lifeline of Ohio. “When death occurs, they help us carry out the wishes of organ and tissue donors every day and we are grateful for all that they do.”
The awards were presented during the Seventh National Learning Congress for the Donation and Transplantation Community of Practice held in Grapevine, Texas. The meeting provided donation and transplantation professionals with resources to improve and share organ donation practices, and honored the hospitals and organizations that have made great strides in accordance with the Organ Donation Breakthrough Collaborative.
The Collaborative, established in 2003, is an initiative to save lives by sharing and implementing best practices among hospitals and OPOs in order to improve donation rates.
(Front Row from L to R): Bobbie Timmerman, Nationwide Children’s Hospital; Heather Blausey, Lifeline of Ohio; Monique Judy, Riverside Methodist Hospital; Jennifer Howell, Lifeline of Ohio; Karen Rediger, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
(Back Row from L to R): Marilyn Pongonis, Lifeline of Ohio; Ladora Dils, Lifeline of Ohio; Anna Bockert, Mount Carmel East Hospital; James Moulton, Lifeline of Ohio; Andrea Ferguson, Lifeline of Ohio; Laura Stillion, Wexner Medical Center at The Ohio State University; Kacy Walker, Lifeline of Ohio