AUGUSTA, GA - (August 4, 2017) – Sixty-three Georgia hospitals were among a select group of hospitals from across the nation recognized for promoting enrollment in state organ and tissue donor registries in a public education campaign, the Workplace Partnership for Life (WPFL) Hospital Campaign, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Nationally, this campaign has added 400,000 donor enrollments to state registries nationwide since 2011.
Participating hospitals conducted awareness and donor registration campaigns to educate staff, patients, visitors and community members about the critical need for organ, eye and tissue donors and, by doing so, increased the number of potential donors on Georgia’s Organ and Tissue Donor Registry. Hospitals implemented organ and tissue donor awareness and registration activities between October 2016 and April 2017, achieving award levels platinum, gold, silver or bronze based upon how many points they accumulated.
27 Georgia hospitals earned the Platinum award: Archbold Memorial, Augusta University Medical Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta – Egleston, DeKalb Medical Center - Hillandale, DeKalb Medical Center – North Decatur, DeKalb Medical Center Long Term Acute Care, Dodge County Hospital, Emory Johns Creek Hospital, Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital, Emory University Hospital, Emory University Hospital Midtown, Fairview Park Hospital, Grady Health System, Houston Medical Center, Mayo Clinic Health System, Medical Center, Navicent Health, Memorial University Medical Center, Midtown Medical Center, Perry Hospital, Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, South Georgia Medical Center, South Georgia Medical Center – Berrien Campus, South Georgia Medical Center – Lanier Campus, Tift Regional Medical Center, WellStar Atlanta Medical Center, WellStar Cobb Hospital, WellStar Kennestone Hospital
17 Georgia hospitals earned the Gold award: Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta – Scottish Rite, Coffee Regional Medical Center, Coliseum Medical, Coliseum Northside Hospital, Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center, Piedmont Regional, Redmond Regional Medical Center, Southeast Georgia Health System – Brunswick Campus, St. Joseph’s Hospital/Candler, WellStar Atlanta Medical Center South, WellStar Douglas Hospital, WellStar Health System Corporate Office
15 Georgia hospitals earned the Silver award: Aiken Regional Medical Center, Eastside Medical Center, Emanuel Medical Center, Gordon Hospital, Gwinnett Medical Center – Lawrenceville, Hamilton Medical Center, Northeast Georgia Medical Center – Gainesville, Northeast Georgia Medical Center – Braselton, Northside Hospital – Forsyth, Rockdale Medical Center, Southern Regional Medical Center, St. Francis Hospital, University Hospital, WellStar North Fulton Hospital, WellStar West Georgia Medical Center
9 Georgia hospitals earned the Bronze award: Bleckley Memorial Hospital, Cartersville Medical Center, Colquitt Regional Medical Center, Doctors Hospital, Floyd Medical Center, Northside Hospital, Northside Medical Center, Taylor Regional Hospital, WellStar Paulding Hospital.
Throughout the country, 1,102 hospitals and transplant centers participated in the campaign and 349 platinum, 166 gold, 317 silver, or 218 bronze awards were achieved. Georgia ranked third among other states with the number of hospitals receiving an award; with only Arizona and California acquiring more hospital awards.
“These 63 hospitals are great champions for organ, eye and tissue donation. We are proud of their accomplishments and applaud each hospital for making a difference in the lives of the more than 5,500 Georgians that are currently waiting for transplant,” says Kim Kottemann, Manager of Hospital Development Professional Programs with LifeLink of Georgia, “It is because of these professionals unyielding dedication to saving lives that we applaud their achievements.”
The need for organ and tissue donation is real. Every 11 minutes another person is added to the national transplant waiting list. Currently more than 118,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant and sadly, approximately 22 people die daily because of the organ shortage. To register your decision to be an organ, tissue and eye donor visit Donate Life Georgia’s Organ and Tissue Donor Registry at www.DonateLifeGeorgia.org today or call 1-866-57-SHARE (74273). You can also say YES to donation when you get or renew your driver license or state identification card through Georgia’s Department of Driver Services.
For more information about organ and tissue donation in Georgia visit LifeLink at www.LifeLinkFoundation.org.