Augusta University Medical Center recognized nationally for promoting organ and tissue donation

Augusta University Medical Center has been named among the nation’s top hospitals for promoting enrollment in state organ, eye and tissue donor registries in the Workplace Partnership for Life Hospital Campaign, a national initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration.

AU Medical Center was recognized for conducting awareness and registration campaigns to educate staff, patients, visitors and their communities 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.

Some of AU Medical Center’s campaigns included various donor registration events held throughout National Donate Life Month in April, and the launch of the Living Organ Donor Leave program, which helps provide eligible medical center employees who serve as donors with additional paid leave options that will not affect the employee’s own paid time off hours.

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. AU Medical Center was awarded platinum recognition for its 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. See the full list of recognized hospitals.

“We are proud of the recognition of Augusta University Medical Center in making the difference in the lives of thousands of Georgians currently awaiting transplant,” says Katrina Keefer, executive vice president for health affairs at Augusta University and chief executive officer for Augusta University Health System. “We applaud these professionals’ unyielding dedication to saving lives.”

Augusta University Health is home to the 14,000-square-foot Carlos and Marguerite Mason Solid Organ Transplant Center, and over 2,700 lifesaving kidney and pancreas transplants have been performed at the medical center since 1968. AU Health is one of 19 hospitals in the United States and the only medical center in Georgia to be selected to take part in the initial Collaborative Innovation and Improvement Network that aims to improve kidney transplantation nationwide. AU Health is also a two-time national Kidney Transplant Center of Excellence.