KHSC receives provincial organ and tissue donation awards

Ontario Health’s Trillium Gift of Life Network has awarded Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) with three annual awards for its support in saving and enhancing more lives through the gift of organ and tissue donation.

“I'm incredibly proud of our team for being recognized for their exceptional work in integrating organ and tissue donation into quality end-of-life care," says Jason Hann, KHSC's executive vice-president of Patient Care and Chief Nursing Executive. "It is through the generosity of our patients and their families, along with the compassion and dedication of our staff and physicians, that we are able to make a profound impact on the lives of those awaiting life-saving organ and tissue donations.”

For the second year, KHSC was presented with the Award of Excellence for four or more consecutive years of successfully converting potential organ donors into actual donors at a minimum of 63 per cent of the time.

KHSC’s current conversion rate is 72 per cent, which led to 60 organs donated for transplant, saving 54 lives, and 47 tissue donors, enhancing the lives of many others.

For the seventh year, KHSC received the Provincial Conversion Rate Award. Once again, it exceeded Ontario Health’s target conversion rate by more than 14 per cent.

Facilitating a donation discussion between Ontario Health and eligible patients and families at end-of-life is a critical first step and for this important work, KHSC has been recognized, for the second year, with the Provincial Eligible Approach Rate Award. This award is given to hospitals that have these discussions 90 per cent of the time or more. KHSC’s current eligible approach rate is 97 per cent.

“The success of organ and tissue donation and transplantation in Ontario relies on the dedication of our hospital partners who work tirelessly to ensure that Ontarians have the opportunity to help others through the gift of life,” says Rebecca Cooper, vice-president, Ontario Renal Network and Trillium Gift of Life Network, Ontario Health.

“Ontario Health works with Kingston Health Sciences Centre to ensure the wishes of potential donors are realized. The Hospital Achievement Awards recognize this crucial work and the profound impact it can have on those waiting for an organ or tissue donation.”

On average, 1,400 people in Ontario are waiting for a lifesaving organ, and thousands more need a transformative tissue transplant. Every three days someone dies while they wait for their gift of life.

Register to be a donor, and speak with your family about your wishes. One organ donor can save eight lives and enhance up to 75 more through tissue donation.

Visit www.beadonor.ca to find out more.