Jefferson Health Lansdale.
Jefferson Health hospitals have earned statewide recognition from the Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) for their work to increase awareness about organ, eye, and tissue donation.
The recognition is part of HAP’s 2024 Donate Life Pennsylvania Hospital Challenge. Jefferson Abington Hospital, Jefferson Bucks Hospital, Jefferson Frankford Hospital, Jefferson Lansdale Hospital and Jefferson Torresdale Hospital each received a platinum designation. Thomas Jefferson University Hospital earned a gold designation, and Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital received a silver designation.
The annual challenge recognizes hospitals across the state for their efforts to educate employees, patients and the surrounding community about organ donation and to increase the number of organ donor registrants. According to the Gift of Life Donor Program, one organ donor can save up to eight lives, and one tissue donor can help up to 100 others.
“It is truly an honor for our facilities to receive statewide recognition in HAP’s Donate Life Pennsylvania Hospital Challenge. This esteemed designation underscores our continued commitment to support and educate the communities that we serve by spreading awareness about the life-saving gift of organ donation,” said Brian Sweeney, RN, MBA, FACHE, president, North Region, Jefferson Health.
The HAP challenge launches each year in April in honor of National Donate Life Month. To help raise awareness, Jefferson Health employees, patients and community members participated in a variety of activities, including: pop-up informational events, flag raising ceremony, virtual candlelight vigil, the Gift of Life Donor Dash and more. Hospital activities are tracked on a scorecard, which is submitted to HAP for review. Based on the scores, hospitals receive a titanium, platinum, gold, silver, or bronze level designation.
“HAP commends Pennsylvania hospitals and our partners for their terrific work to support and raise awareness about organ donation. The level of participation in the challenge demonstrates the commitment and dedication hospital teams have for the health of their communities. Increasing the number of organ, eye, and tissue donors is critical to helping hospital teams save and improve lives,” said Nicole Stallings, president and CEO of HAP.
To support the challenge, HAP partnered with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the two organ procurement organizations serving Pennsylvania—the Center for Organ Recovery & Education and Gift of Life Donor Program. This year, 118 hospitals from across the state participated in the annual challenge.
