Hackensack Meridian Health Hospitals Nationally Recognized for Promoting Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation

On Nov 22, 2017

Hackensack Meridian Health hospitals were among a select group of hospitals nationwide recognized for promoting enrollment in state organ donor registries.  These efforts were part of a national campaign sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) that added more than 400,000 donor enrollments to state registries nationwide.

“Hackensack Meridian Health hospitals are proud to participate in this national campaign to promote organ, eye and tissue donation,” said Steven G. Littleson, FACHE, president of the hospital services division and network chief operating officer. “Organ, eye and tissue donations save lives across New Jersey and the nation each and every day.  As health care providers, it is critical that we increase awareness in our communities about the importance of registering to become a donor.  We look forward to building upon this successful campaign by partnering with organizations like the NJ Sharing Network to educate community members and increase the number of donors.”

Hackensack Meridian Health hospitals conducted awareness and registry campaigns in the last year to educate team members, patients, visitors, and community members about the critical need for organ, eye and tissue donors, resulting in an increase in the number of potential donors on the state’s donor registry. Each hospital earned points for all activities implemented between October 2016 and April 2017.

In total, eight Hackensack Meridian Health hospitals were awarded platinum recognition through the HRSA Workplace Partnership for Life Hospital Campaign, which is an accumulation of more than 1,000 points: Bayshore Medical Center, Mountainside Medical Center, Hackensack University Medical Center, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Ocean Medical Center, Raritan Bay Medical Center Old Bridge, Raritan Bay Medical Center Perth Amboy and Riverview Medical Center.  Southern Ocean Medical Center was awarded the gold recognition which is an accumulation of more than 750 points. In addition, two Hackensack Meridian Health hospitals were awarded silver recognition, which is an accumulation of over 350 points: Pascack Valley Medical Center and Palisades Medical Center.

This campaign is a special effort of HRSA’s Workplace Partnership for Life to mobilize the nation’s hospitals to increase the number of people in the country who are registered organ, eye, and tissue donors and, ultimately, the number of organs available for transplant. The campaign unites donation advocates at hospitals with representatives from their local organ procurement organizations, Donate Life America affiliates, and state and regional hospital associations. Working together, the teams leverage their communications resources and outreach efforts to most effectively spread awareness of the critical need for donors.

See the full list of recognized hospitals here.

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