ANN ARBOR — Gift of Life Michigan has been awarded the prestigious accreditation by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), Gift of Life CEO Richard Pietroski announced today.
Accreditation follows an intensive nine-month process, including an on-site inspection by an independent inspector. The accreditation process establishes that Gift of Life meets or exceeds standards and policies set by the AATB. By successfully meeting requirements, Gift of Life joins more than 125 institutions across the United States and abroad – including 35 other organ procurement organizations – that have earned AATB accreditation.
“Seeking accreditation by AATB is voluntary,” Pietroski said. “Gift of Life sought this distinction because it reinforces our commitment to excellence in performing tissue banking functions. Achieving this goal provides assurance to the thousands upon thousands of people who could benefit from a tissue transplant that we are doing everything possible, at the highest level of safety and performance.”
Gift of Life Michigan is the state’s federally designated organ and tissue recovery program. Gift of Life, in conjunction with Eversight Michigan, provides all services necessary for organ, tissue and eye donation. Donated tissue can include bone, skin, tendons, heart valves and more.
“As many as 50 people can benefit from a single tissue donor,” said Bruce Nicely, Gift of Life’s chief clinical officer. “I praise our staff for their commitment to the highest quality processes to get these precious gifts to the people who need them.”
AATB-accredited organizations are recognized as leaders in their field. AATB is the only national tissue banking organization in the United States, and its membership totals more than 125 accredited tissue banks and 650 individual members. Each year, these institutions recover tissue from more than 30,000 donors and distribute over 2 million allografts for more than 1 million tissue transplants in the nation. More than 90 percent of human tissue distributed for these transplants comes from AATB-accredited tissue banks.
Gift of Life was founded in 1971, making it the nation’s second oldest organ procurement organization, or OPO.
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EDITOR’S NOTE:
- Anyone can join the Michigan Organ Donor Registry, regardless of age or health history. Go to GiftofLifeMichigan.org or call (866) 500-5801.
