St. Louis Children’s Hospital recognized as three-time winner
Mid-America Transplant Services (MTS) and eleven hospitals within its designated organ procurement region will be awarded Medals of Honor from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) for achieving organ donation conversion rates at or above 75 percent for a continuous 12-month period. A conversion rate is defined as the number of people who are approached and who ultimately consent to donate. The Medals were presented during a dinner and awards celebration at the Second National Learning Congress on Organ and Tissue Donation in Nashville on Wednesday, October 10.
A total of 392 hospitals nationwide will receive the annual Medal of Honor this year. The eleven hospitals achieving a 75 percent conversion rate in this region during a 12-month continuous period include:
St. Louis Children’s Hospital-St. Louis, MO
Barnes-Jewish Hospital-St. Louis, MO
CoxHealth-Springfield, MO
DePaul Health Center-Bridgeton, MO
St. Anthony’s Medical Center-St. Louis, MO
St. Bernards Medical Center-Jonesboro, AR
Saint Francis Medical Center-Cape Girardeau, MO
ChristianHospital Northeast-St. Louis, MO
St. John’s Mercy Medical Center-St. Louis, MO
Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center-St. Louis, MO
Saint Louis University Hospital-St. Louis, MO
Hospitals with eight or more potential donors during a 22-month award period ending in June 2007 were eligible for this year’s Medals of Honor. All hospitals receiving the Medals had to achieve and sustain a donation rate of 75 percent or more (from eligible donors) for at least one year.
Five Missouri hospitals also were recognized as three-time Medal of Honor winners for achieving high organ donation rates. The five hospitals receiving a special crystal award along with a Medal of Honor include:
St. Louis Children’s Hospital-St. Louis, MO
CoxHealth-Springfield, MO
St. Anthony’s Medical Center-St. Louis, MO
St. Francis Medical Center-Cape Girardeau, MO
St. John’s Mercy Medical Center-St. Louis, MO
MTS received three additional awards, including its secondImprovement Leader Award from DHHS for being one of 22 organ procurement organizations in the country to sustain a 75 percent or higher organ donation conversion rate throughout its coverage area for 12 consecutive months. MTS serves eastern and central Missouri, southern Illinois and northeastern Arkansas
“All of these awards recognize the long-standing dedication and efforts by MTS staff and our partnering hospitals and physicians to increase awareness of the benefits of organ donation and the process by which organs are obtained for transplant,” said Dean F. Kappel, MTS president and chief executive officer. “This amazing level of collaboration over the past several years has led to the sharing of innovative ideas, best practices in clinical care, and a sharper focus on how to best meet the needs of potential donor families before, during, and after consent to donation.”
For more information about the Collaboratives, the Medals of Honor awards, or about organ and tissue donation, contact Mid-America Transplant Services at 314-991-1661.