CoxHealth receives Donate Life Award for its commitment to organ and tissue donation

In recognition of its commitment to organ and tissue donation, CoxHealth has been recognized by the Missouri Hospital Association with a Donate Life Award. The award, which honors the health care system’s exceptional leadership in raising awareness of organ and tissue donation and transplantation, was presented on Thursday, Nov. 5, during an awards luncheon at the Missouri Hospital Association’s 93nd Annual Convention & Trade Show in Osage Beach, Mo. CoxHealth was only one of two hospitals in Missouri to receive such an award.

“Organ and tissue donation are a wonderful opportunity and a crucial resource for patients,” says Jami Blackwell, CoxHealth’s trauma program manager. “We at CoxHealth do all we can to help better people’s lives through the second chance these donations can bring.”

CoxHealth continues a longstanding commitment to organ and tissue donation. In 2014, the hospital had an 86 percent conversion rate of potential vital organ donors and a 100 percent referral and approach rate of all potential vital organ donors. Between 2012 and 2014, CoxHealth increased its conversion rate by 15 percent and doubled the number of organs transplanted.

Awareness is essential to organ and tissue donation. CoxHealth holds numerous events annually to inform staff and the public about the importance of donation and transplantation. The system’s Donation Council helps engage and educate staff and ensure program compliance. Moreover, the hospital has worked to build physician champions, placing the donation efforts under the umbrella of the director of trauma as the lead physician champion. Beginning in 2012, CoxHealth established a Donor Champ program for front-line staff volunteers to receive additional training on the donation process so that they may provide donation resources to their units.

For more information about organ donation, log on to www.mts-stl.org.