LANCASTER – Antelope Valley Hospital (AVH) has been named as one of 22 hospitals throughout the seven-county greater Los Angeles area that will be recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with a Medal of Honor for meeting the standards for excellence in organ donation set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Hospitals with a minimum of eight potential organ donors during a 24-month period (April 1 2010 – March 31, 2012) are eligible for the HHS Gold, Silver or Bronze Medal of Honor.
The awards ceremony will take place at the 7th National Learning Congress for the Donation and Transplantation Community of Practice in Grapevine, Texas on October 4 and 5, 2012.
Antelope Valley Hospital will be recognized with a Silver Medal of Honor for meeting or exceeding two out of three national goals during the 24-month measurement period. The tangible impact of AVH’s efforts during the time period on which the award was based is a total of 63 organs recovered for transplant and the almost 60 recipients of these organs who now have a second chance at a healthy life.
Out of approximately 3,000 hospitals nationwide, preliminary data released by the HHS shows 679 hospitals were eligible for a Medal of Honor this year, with 398 receiving awards.
“We are grateful to be recognized by the Department of Health and Human Services for our commitment to saving lives through organ donation,” says Edward Mirzabegian, AVH Chief Executive Officer. “This award is a reflection of the collaborative efforts of many people to increase education and understanding of the organ donation process and the impact that we can have on our community.”
In its effort to save lives through donation and transplantation, AVH staff members work closely with OneLegacy, the non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives through organ and tissue donation in the seven-county greater Los Angeles area.
“Thanks to the generosity of donor families and registered donors, our collaboration with hospitals and transplant centers, and the skill of OneLegacy’s donation professionals, we are answering the needs of the more than 114,000 people nationwide awaiting life-saving transplants,” stated Tom Mone, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of OneLegacy.
For more information about organ donation within the greater Los Angeles area, visit www.onelegacy.org.
(Information via press release from Antelope Valley Hospital.)