PHH Hospitals Recognized For Organ Donation Awareness Efforts
Giving is something that those in healthcare often do without thinking. So it should not be much of a surprise that Penn Highlands has been recognized for encouraging that giving attitude about organ donation.
Every year, the hospitals of PHH - guided by nurse liaisons who work closely with CORE, the Center for Organ Recovery & Education - participate in the annual HAP Donate Life Hospital Challenge. HAP, the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, is a statewide membership services organization that advocates for Pennsylvania’s nearly 240 acute and specialty care, primary care, subacute care, long-term care, home health and hospice providers.
The challenge is co-sponsored by CORE, the Gift of Life Donor Program and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. It encourages Pennsylvania hospitals to increase organ donation awareness and designations within their hospitals and communities. The 2019 challenge began in January and ended April 30, which is the last day of National Donate Life Month.
Participating hospitals’ awareness and designation activities are captured on a scorecard and assigned titanium, platinum, gold, silver, and bronze level recognitions.
Within Penn Highlands Healthcare, the following hospitals that participated were recognized for their achievements:
- Penn Highlands Brookville - platinum
- Penn Highlands Elk - platinum
- Penn Highlands Clearfield - silver
- Penn Highlands DuBois - silver
“Our hospitals, and nurse liaisons to CORE especially, understand the importance of organ donation for our patients,” Rose M. Campbell, MBA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, Vice President/Chief Nursing Officer, PH DuBois, and Chief Nursing Officer of Penn Highlands Healthcare. “We see patients, our friends and our co-workers who have benefited from someone’s generosity as an organ donor and the second chance at a quality life that it gives them.”
“Losing a loved one can mean unspeakable sadness, but we know that there are ways that we can help honor the lives of those we have lost, and continue their legacies through the most selfless gift of all - life anew,” said Andy Carter, President and CEO of HAP.
“Organ donation allows individuals to make a difference in the life of someone who is suffering from a serious, and often life-threatening health condition,” state Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said.
“The Pennsylvania Donate Life Hospital Challenge brings awareness and education to organ donation and encourages people to sign up as donors. We are thankful for each person who is signed up to be an organ donor, and the hope they provide to the thousands of Pennsylvanians currently waiting for a life-saving transplant.”
“Guided by Andy Carter and his exceptional team at HAP, the dedication and passion of CORE’s hospital partners throughout the 2019 HAP Donate Life Pennsylvania Hospital Challenge was outstanding,” said Susan Stuart, president and CEO of CORE, one of 58 federally designated not-for-profit organ procurement organizations in the United States, serving more than five million people in western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Chemung County, NY.
“Their work as donation advocates, creating a culture of donation within their hospitals and communities, has not only reinforced the link between donation and transplantation, but has also given CORE the privilege of caring for more donors and their families, of giving hope to those waiting for life-saving organs and tissues, and of ultimately saving and healing more lives.”
More information about organ donation is available at www.donatelifepa.org or www.CORE.org. And anyone who wishes to work with the liaisons to help with 2020’s challenge in their hospital and community, please e-mail [email protected].