Saint Michael’s Medical Center in Newark was recognized by NJ Sharing
Network for its efforts to save lives through organ and tissue donation.
Saint Michael’s received NJ Sharing Network’s platinum award,
the highest level of achievement for hospitals.
“This award is recognition of how committed Saint Michael’s
is to the mission of the NJ Sharing Network,” said Saint Michael’s
Risk Manager Ellie Anderson, who leads the effort for the hospital. “With
so many New Jersey residents waiting for organ transplants, raising awareness
among our staff and patients about organ and tissue donation is critical
to saving lives.”
Through the NJ Sharing Network, Saint Michael’s participates in the
Hospital Campaign, which was launched June 2011 as a special effort of
the national Workplace Partnership for Life (WPFL), an initiative of the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services
Administration’s Division of Transplantation.
The WPFL Hospital Campaign focuses on hospitals and state, regional, and
metro hospital associations, enlisting them in the effort and encouraging
them to coordinate donor awareness and registry enrollment activities
with their staff, patients, and community members.
“Our hospital partners are vital to our life-saving mission,”
said Joe Roth, president and CEO of NJ Sharing Network. “With nearly
4,000 people in New Jersey in need of a transplant and 115,000 across
the country, the work that hospital partners like Saint Michael’s
do to raise awareness of organ and tissue donation is critical in helping
more patients receive transplants.”
Since the beginning of this year, Saint Michael’s has assisted in
gifting two organ donors resulting in five organs transplanted –
two livers, two kidneys and a heart. The hospital, a member of the Prime
Healthcare network, also assisted in gifting three tissue donors resulting
in 174 gifts, including bone, skin and corneas.
The award is based on numerous activities throughout the year promoting
organ and tissue donation, including participating in walks, selling t-shirts,
staffing an informational table in the hospital lobby, sharing social
media posts and a flag-raising ceremony.