South Georgia Medical Center was among a select group of hospitals nationwide recognized for promoting enrollment in state organ donor registries in a national Workplace Partnership for Life Hospital Campaign, sponsored by the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration. Since 2011 the campaign has added 400,000 donor enrollments nationwide.

SGMC conducted awareness and registration events and messaging to educate staff, patients, visitors and community members about the critical need for organ, eye and tissue donors and, by doing so, increased the number of potential registered donors. Participating hospitals earned points for each activity implemented between May 2015 and April 2016 and earned award levels platinum, gold, silver or bronze depending on how many points they accumulated.

SGMC was awarded platinum recognition for their efforts during this year’s campaign. Throughout the country, 995 hospitals and transplant centers participated, and 281 platinum, 147 gold, 287 silver, or 207 bronze awards have been achieved. Of those, 54 are Georgia hospitals.

“SGMC is a great champion for organ, eye, and tissue donation. We are proud of their accomplishment and applaud them for making a difference in the lives of the more than 5,600 Georgians that are currently waiting for transplant,” says Michelle Burkett, Hospital Development Liaison with LifeLink of Georgia. “It is because these professionals’ unyielding dedication to saving lives that we commend their achievements.”