LifeLink of Georgia, in partnership with Georgia Hospital Association, awarded the 2021 Barbara and John Ware Donate Life Hospital Award to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital and Coffee Regional Medical Center. The Barbara and John Ware Donate Life Hospital Award honors hospital partners committed to saving and enhancing lives through organ and tissue donation. It is awarded annually to two hospitals within the LifeLink of Georgia service area.
Hospitals were nominated based upon their demonstrated support of organ and tissue donation, and nominations included specific examples of initiatives, events or activities to increase the opportunity for organ and tissue donation within the clinical setting or in the community.
In 2021, Coffee Regional Medical Center (CRMC) committed to refocus efforts and renew support of organ and tissue donation. CRMC developed an “Organ Donor Work Group” which consisted of in-house clinical staff, management, LifeLink and Georgia Eye Bank representatives. This group planned educational opportunities and celebrations of the gift of donation throughout Donate Life Month, internally as well as externally, including their first Donate Life flag raising at the hospital flagpole for hospital and community partners. Community education was vital with multiple media releases, social media promotions and CRMC team members educating attendees at the hospital’s annual Health & Wellness Fair. Coffee Regional looks forward to the future as they continue to support organ and tissue donation with LifeLink of Georgia.
Phoebe Putney was selected for their commitment, organization wide, to organ donation which has produced lifesaving results. Organ donation is never an afterthought at Phoebe Putney where clinical process improvements, enhanced education and stronger communication have created standard operating procedures that keep donation top of mind.
“We were honored to recognize Phobe Putney Memorial Hospital and Coffee Regional Medical Center through the Barbara and John Ware Donate Life Hospital Award,” says Katie Payne, Associate Executive Director, LifeLink of Georgia, “The efforts from these hospitals have directly affected organ and tissue donation throughout the state of Georgia, and more lives will be saved because of their outreach.”
Contact LifeLink of Georgia for more information on organ and tissue donation or the Barbara and John Ware Donate Life Hospital Award at (800) 544-6667 or visit www.LifeLinkFoundation.org.