Piedmont Columbus Regional was among a select group of hospitals from across the nation recognized for promoting enrollment in state organ, eye and tissue donor registries in the Workplace Partnership for Life (WPFL) Hospital Campaign, a national initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
Piedmont Columbus Regional conducted awareness and registration campaigns to educate staff, patients, visitors and the community about the critical need for organ, eye and tissue donors and, by doing so, increased the number of potential donors on Georgia’s Organ and Tissue Donor Registry. Participating hospitals earned points for each activity implemented between October 2018 and April 2019 and, depending on the amount of points accumulated, hospitals were recognized with platinum, gold, silver or bronze awards. Piedmont Columbus Regional's Midtown Campus was awarded platinum recognition and the Northside Campus was awarded gold recognition for their efforts during this year’s Workplace Partnership for Life Hospital Campaign.
Throughout the country, nearly 1,500 hospitals and transplant centers participated in the campaign, and 638 platinum, 226 gold, 378 silver and 228 bronze awards were achieved. Of those, 78 are Georgia hospitals. Georgia ranked 4th among other participating states with only California, Florida and Maine acquiring more awards.
“Piedmont Columbus Regional is a great champion for organ, eye, and tissue donation. We are proud of this accomplishment and applaud both the Midtown and Northside campuses for making a difference in the lives of the more than 5,000 Georgians that are currently waiting for transplant,” says Steve Anderson, Hospital Development Liaison with LifeLink of Georgia, “It is because of these professionals unyielding dedication to saving lives that we applaud their achievements.”
The need for organ and tissue donation is real. Every 11 minutes another person is added to the national transplant waiting list that currently includes over 113,000 people and sadly, approximately 22 people die daily because of the organ shortage. To register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor online, visit the Donate Life Georgia Organ and Tissue Donor Registry at www.DonateLifeGeorgia.org. You can also register by saying YES to donation when you get or renew your driver license or state identification card through Georgia’s Department of Driver Services, or by calling 1-866-57-SHARE (74273).
For more information about organ and tissue donation in Georgia visit LifeLink at www.LifeLinkFoundation.org. For information about the Workplace Partnership for Life Hospital Campaign, visit http://organdonor.gov/howhelp/hospitalcampaign.html.