Washington Regional organ donation program honored
by October 16, 2012 3:34 pm 174 views
A local hospital recently earned accolades for its highly effective organ donation program. Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville received the Medal of Honor from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for successfully increasing the number of organs available for life-saving transplants.
This is the third time that WRMC has been recognized for achieving and sustaining national organ donation goals, including a 75% or better donation rate of eligible donors.
Washington Regional’s multidisciplinary organ donation committee includes physicians, nurses, chaplains and case managers, and 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. The medals represent work done between April 1, 2010, and March 31, 2012, according to a press release from Washington Regional.
More than 98,000 people in the U.S. need 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 in time.
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.