University Medical Center New Orleans earns national recognition for promoting organ, eye, and tissue dontation

University Medical Center New Orleans has earned Gold level recognition for its efforts to increase organ, eye, and tissue donor registrations across the state, through the Workplace Partnership for Life (WPFL) Hospital Organ Donation Campaign. The WPFL is a national initiative that unites the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the organ donation community with workplaces across the nation in spreading the word about the importance of donation.

Between October 2018 and April 2019, University Medical Center New Orleans participated in HRSA’s WPFL Hospital Organ Donation Campaign. The program challenges hospitals and healthcare organizations to “let life bloom” by educating their staff, patients, visitors, and communities about the critical need for organ, eye, and tissue donation and by offering them opportunities to register as donors. University Medical Center earned points for completing awareness and registry activities and prompting new donor registrations during the campaign period.

University Medical Center was one of more than 1,490 organizations to participate in the 2019 campaign and one of 226 organizations to earn gold recognition.

“We are honored to be recognized for our efforts and commitment to educating our community about the importance of organ, eye, and tissue donation,” said Danny Hardman, University Medical Center New Orleans Chief Executive Officer, “We salute the patients and families who have chosen to give the gift of life, allowing our community as a whole to bloom.”

This year’s Hospital Organ Donation Campaign added more than 48,000registrations to state registries and the Puerto Rico registry, which also includes registrations from the U.S. Virgin Islands. The campaign has generated more than 492,000 registrations since its inception in 2011 and unites donation advocates at hospitals with representatives from their local organ procurement organizations, Donate Life America affiliates and state and regional hospital associations. University Medical Center worked with LOPA, the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency to leverage its outreach efforts.

Every 10 minutes, another person is added to the organ transplant list, reaffirming the critical and growing need for registered organ, eye, and tissue donors. For more information about the Hospital Campaign, visit www.organdonor.gov/hospitals. To sign up as a donor, go to www.donatelifela.org.

About University Medical Center New Orleans

University Medical Center New Orleans, home of the Rev. Avery C. Alexander Academic Research Hospital, offers the latest in medical services and cutting-edge research while training the next generation of healthcare professionals. As the region’s only Level 1 Trauma Center and Burn Center, we play a vital role in treating southern Louisiana’s most critically injured patients. University Medical Center is a proud member of LCMC Health, a Louisiana-based, not-for-profit hospital system that also includes Children’s Hospital, New Orleans East Hospital, Touro, and West Jefferson Medical Center.