St. Vincent Healthcare recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as a Medal of Honor Winner
Billings, MT—(May 1, 2008)-- St. Vincent Healthcare of Billings has received the prestigious Medal of Honor as designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Given to a small amount of hospitals nationwide, it recognizes those who achieve organ donation rates of 75% or higher in a 12 month period. The hospital also received special recognition with a HHS Crystal Award.
St. Vincent Healthcare will be recognized with the Medal of Honor and the Crystal Award on May 1 in Marillac Auditorium at St. Vincent Healthcare. Double cornea transplant recipient Susan Harpster will be featured. Susan suffered from Keratoconus but now can see thanks to cornea transplants-- one for each eye. She received one in March 2004 and the other in November 2005. “The donation experience has been amazing, and I am so grateful to all those involved,” says Harpster.
The HHS Crystal Award is a special recognition for hospitals that have received the Medal of Honor for the past three years. This award was given to less than 150 hospitals across the entire country. Through concerted efforts, St. Vincent has achieved outstanding donation results. Those efforts have resulted in 72 lives that have been saved from 2003-2006.
“St. Vincent Healthcare continues to embrace and demonstrate the collaborative spirit in their donation program,” said Diana Clark, Chief Executive Officer of LifeCenter Northwest. “Their best practices have guided the work of other facilities within our Donor Service Area and have resulted in saving lives.”
In receiving this award, St. Vincent Healthcare is being honored for its exemplary leadership and commitment to organ donors, donor families, and the nearly 100,000 patients on the national transplant waiting list, including 1,500 of their Northwest neighbors. The Living Legacy Foundation (LLF) strives to educate our communities on the importance of organ, eye, and tissue donation and increase the number of registered donors. Established by LifeCenter Northwest, a federally designated organ donation organization, Living Legacy Foundation serves as a bridge among donor families, recipients, living donors and the community. To learn more or to register as an organ, eye, and tissue donor, please visit www.donatelifetoday.com.