Hospitals collectively add nearly 1,700 names to the Donor Registry
ANN ARBOR, MI— Michigan hospitals competed this fall in a six-week Gift of Life Hospital Challenge to see which one could inspire the most people to join the Michigan Organ Donor Registry.
The winner was Detroit Medical Center, which signed up 763 new donors. Beaumont Health, based in Royal Oak, came in second with 390. Sparrow Hospital in Lansing placed third with 241.
The combined total for hospitals that participated in the challenge was 1,691.
“Every name added to the Donor Registry means hope for the more than 3,300 patients waiting in our state today for a life-saving organ transplant,” said Dorrie Dils, CEO of Gift of Life Michigan, the state’s federally designated organ recovery program. “This state’s hospitals are national leaders in making the registry a priority. We value their commitment, their partnerships and their drive to save and improve lives.”
Michigan hospitals have collectively registered more than 4,000 new organ, eye and tissue donors in 2017. DMC has been out front in that effort, signing up nearly 1,600 residents this year.
“I am extremely proud of the energy and effort our staff and volunteers put toward this important Gift of Life Hospital Challenge,” said Tony Tedeschi, M.D., CEO, the Detroit Medical Center. “And while it is always great to win first place, the real winners are the patients who are waiting for life-saving organ transplants, not just at the Detroit Medical Center, but at hospital systems throughout our state.”
Here are the complete results for the six-week challenge:
1. Detroit Medical Center 763
2. Beaumont Health, Royal Oak 390
3. Sparrow Health System, Lansing 241
4. Henry Ford Health System, Detroit 197
5. Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor 55
6. Mercy Health West Michigan, Grand Rapids 45
Total: 1,691
EDITOR’S NOTES:
Anyone can join the Donor Registry, regardless of age or health history. To join or to learn more, go to GiftOfLifeMichigan.org or call 866.500.5801.As the state’s federally designated organ and tissue recovery organization, Gift of Life acts as intermediary between donors, their families, hospital staff and transplant centers.
