Washington Regional Recognized for Organ Donation Program | Health

Washington Regional recently received a Medal of Honor from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for its success in increasing the number of organs available for lifesaving transplants. This is the third time that Washington Regional has been recognized for achieving and sustaining national organ donation goals, including a donation rate of 75 percent or more of eligible donors.

The Health Resources and Services Administration at HHS supports the Donation and Transplantation Community of Practice, which brings together donation and transplantation professionals, hospital staff, and other professionals involved in the donation process to identify and share best practices. HRSA is also in the midst of a National Hospital Organ Donation Campaign, which enlists the help of hospitals across the country in increasing the number of people who enroll as future donors on their state donor registry.

More than 98,000 people in the U.S. are in need of an organ for transplant, according to HHS. Nationwide, transplants save about 77 lives each day, but another 19 people die every day because a suitable organ is not available for them. Washington Regional’s multidisciplinary organ donation committee is led by physicians, nurses, chaplains and case managers, as well as representatives from Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency (ARORA). “Our committee collaborates with ARORA to improve processes to increase donation among eligible donors,” says Sheryl Davis, director of critical care at Washington Regional. “The committee also works to honor our donor families who have given the gift of life to save others.”

The medals were presented to 404 hospitals from across the country Oct. 4 in Grapevine, Texas, at the National Learning Congress for the Donation and Transplantation Community of Practice, sponsored by the Health Resources and Services Administration, for work done during the two-year period of April 1, 2010, through March 31, 2012.