The Gift of Life - Educating Our Community About Organ Donation

There are more than 114,000 people waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, almost 10,000 of whom live here in New York. Due to a lack of organs available for transplant, 18 people die every day waiting. Despite these statistics, and the fact that 95 percent of U.S. adults support organ donation, only 36 percent of New Yorkers are registered donors compared to 54 percent throughout the rest of the country.

This is why we are very proud of our partnership with the local Organ Procurement Organization (OPO), LiveOnNY, and our joint efforts to educate our community about the importance of organ donation. Together we hope to save and enhance lives through organ donation.

LiveOnNY is a non-profit organization that is responsible for the recovery and placement of donated organs and tissue for those in need of a lifesaving transplant. LiveOnNY serves a population of 13 million people in the greater New York City area and its neighboring counties. Together, we have organized events such as Organ Donor Enrollment Day and Blue Green Day to engage our community members and foster awareness about this organ donation crisis.

In fact, Organ Donor Enrollment Day was just last week. Mets legend Ed Kranepool joined us for a few hours to help raise awareness and encourage donations. I am proud to share that we signed up over 300 new organ donors. Since one donor can save as many as eight lives, that equals the potential of saving 2,500 lives. 

Healthcare organizations are vital in their ability to connect with community members and clarify common misconceptions about organ donation. Through our partnership with LiveOnNY, Stony Brook University Hospital also participates in the Workplace Partnership for Life Hospital Organ Donation Campaign to educate our community about the crucial need for organ, eye, and tissue donation and provide opportunities for people to register as donors.

This national initiative is sponsored by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and has generated more than 443,000 donor registrations. Nationally, there are over 1,200 hospitals participating in this initiative with the goals of increasing the number of registered donors in the U.S. and cultivating a hospital culture that incorporates educating and registering donors as a standard part of its mission.

SBUH was awarded Platinum Recognition for reaching or exceeding all three of the goals of the Community of Practice: improving donation rates, increasing the number of organs donated per individual donor to 3.75 or higher, and expanding clinical processes for recovering organs. In addition to the HRSA Platinum Recognition Award, SBUH also received the Sapphire Hospital Award for meeting two of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) standards for an entire year: an adjusted donation rate of 75 percent or greater, and an organ referral rate of 100 percent. (The adjusted rate is the hospital’s expected donation rate, adjusted for certain hospital and patient characteristics.)

Most significantly, we were recognized for the Honor Walk program, which was implemented last December to honor our organ donors and provide support for their families. During the Honor Walk, hospital staff at all levels, including the care team, administration and ancillary staff, are invited to silently line the pathway from the intensive care unit to the Operating Room and pay their respects to the donor and lend support to the family during their journey. Families who have participated in the Honor Walk have expressed how meaningful and impactful the experience had been for them.  

Special thanks to our transplant team and all of the other specialties that work together to ultimately provide the gift of life. If you would like more information about organ donation, please take a moment to visit www.LiveOnNY.org or www.donaciondeorganos.gov to learn more about donation and/or sign up as a donor.

Carol

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