PHILADELPHIA, PA – Gift of Life Donor Program – the organ procurement organization for Delaware, southern New Jersey and the eastern half of Pennsylvania – and the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) Southeast Connect, honored the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) with the 2019 Gift of Life Award on November 8. This prestigious, annual award is given to hospitals with superior performance in organ donation that have either achieved a 75% organ donation conversion rate during the past year, or that have dramatically improved their performance compared to the previous year. The recipients were honored at the HAP Southeast Connect meeting, which was held at the Sheraton Valley Forge Hotel in King of Prussia, PA.
From left to right: Christopher Schimpf, Hospital Services Coordinator at Gift of Life Donor Program, Howard M. Nathan, President and CEO at Gift of Life Donor Program, Gweneth D. O’Shaughnessy, Director of Hospital Services at Gift of Life Donor Program, Brandon Grant, Brieana Downs, Daniela O’Keefe, Michele Volpe, Dorie Heald, Mary Harnish and Evan Roman.
Gift of Life also recognized 18 Pennsylvania hospitals that achieved a 100% patient referral rate. The hospitals are: Abington Hospital – Jefferson Health, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Jefferson Bucks Hospital, Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience, Jefferson Torresdale Hospital, Lankenau Medical Center, Mercy Catholic Health System – Mercy Fitzgerald Campus, Nazareth Hospital, Paoli Hospital, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, St. Mary Medical Center, Temple University Hospital and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
“We are thrilled to present the 2019 Gift of Life Award to Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for their exceptional performance in organ donation,” said Howard M. Nathan, president and CEO, Gift of Life Donor Program.
“The hospital staff has provided others a second chance at life by making donation a routine part of compassionate end of life care.”
“We are honored to be recognized by Gift of Life for our commitment to organ donation education,” said Regina Cunningham, PhD, RN, chief executive officer of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. “Whether it’s a patient taking her first steps after a life-saving heart transplant or a kidney transplant recipient returning for an appointment 10 years later, we witness real-life examples of the power of organ donation every day at HUP. That’s why our team, in partnership with the Gift of Life Donor program, is devoted to providing support and education to families considering organ donation, so that they can make an informed decision during what is an extremely difficult time.”