|
(New York, N.Y.) June 1, 2007 - There New York Organ Donor Network announced that Westchester Medical Center (WMC) was the hospital with the highest number of organ, eye and tissue donors in 2006. In the past, WMC has topped the organ donor and/or eye and tissue donor list. Last year, the medical center was rated number one in all categories. There are more than 100 hospitals in the region.
WMC had a total of 31 deceased organ donors in 2006. While the average organ donation consent rate in the region is 56 percent, WMC achieved an exceptional rate of 81 percent. Eighty-seven organs from WMC were transplanted and 75 lives saved. Overall in the metropolitan area, 2006 was a record-breaking year, with 319 deceased organ donors and 743 lives saved through transplants. But there are approximately 7,000 people on the waiting list in the New York Organ Donor Network’s service area.
In addition to the organ donors, there were 40 eye and tissue donors at WMC last year. Region-wide, the 689 eye and tissue donors was also the highest ever number.
“Studies show that families are more willing to consent to organ, eye and tissue donation if they feel that their loved ones have gotten good care,” said Michael Israel, president and CEO of Westchester Medical Center. He added that the donor rankings “reflect the excellent clinical care and compassionate service that we bring to our patients, even under the most difficult of circumstances.”
Elaine Berg, president and CEO of the New York Organ Donor Network, said: ““Westchester Medical Center was an early adopter of best practices for donation and is a model for how a hospital, through strong leadership, can excel as a donor hospital. WMC’s staff understands that donation is another way of saving lives in their community.”
|
