For the seventh year, Grand River Hospital has been recognized as a provincial leader in organ and tissue donation and awarded our seventh Hospital Achievement Award for Provincial Conversion Rate along with our first Hospital Achievement Award for Eligible Approach Rate by the Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN), part of Ontario Health.
These are awarded to organizations that exceed benchmarks for the number of potential donors that become donors and approaching eligible patient donors and their families for participation. This is a direct reflection of the care and compassion of our team members in demonstrating leading practices and facilitating donation discussions with eligible patients or families of patients at end-of-life.
In 2021-22, this work resulted in four organ donors which produced nine organs donated for transplant, saving the lives of seven individuals. A further 56 tissue donors enhanced the lives of many.
GRH proudly accepted the awards via a live ceremony at a recent all staff virtual town hall. Janice Beitel, Director of Hospital Programs, Education and Professional Practice at Trillium Gift of Life Network presented GRH with the awards, which were accepted by Janelle Ellis, clinical manager of GRH’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) team.
“Thank you to our critical care and operating room teams for their commitment to organ and tissue donation,” shared Janelle. “We are grateful to TGLN for their support and wonderful partnership.”
Dr. Ted MacKinnon is an anesthesiologist, the medical director of critical care, and TGLN physician lead at GRH. “Receiving our seventh conversion rate award shows the commitment Grand River Hospital has towards organ and tissue donation. Knowing the lives of nine individuals were saved, and countless others enhanced is why we do this work. These generous, life changing donations are made possible by patients, families and the hard work of our team, who support families through difficult decisions. I am proud to be a part of this great team.”
“The team at Grand River Hospital collaborates with TGLN to adopt leading practices in donation and has worked hard to ensure that every staff member has the required resources to be able to honour their patients’ end-of-life wishes,” said Janice. “The ICU and OR teams have demonstrated their passion for not only helping their donor families, but recipients as well, but ensuring flexibility in accommodating donation-related requests.”
Over 4 million Ontarians have formally registered their consent to organ and tissue donation. Talk to your family about your donation decision and visit www.BeADonor.ca to register or learn more.