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CMH News |
CELEBRATE NATIONAL DONATE A LIFE MONTH
There is a critical need for more registered organ donors in Pennsylvania
April is National Donate Life Month as proclaimed by Congress each year. Please take time this month to remember those who graciously gave the gift of life through organ and tissue donation and the families they have left behind. It is also a wonderful time to celebrate these gifts with those who have received a second chance at life. "In Pennsylvania alone there are more than 7,000 men, women and children on the list to receive a life-saving organ. We hope that through education and awareness we can decrease the number of individuals on that list and increase the number of lives saved." said president and CEO of the Center for Organ Recovery and Education, CORE, Susan Stuart. This can only happen through the kindness of organ and tissue donors. If you are a designated donor, we thank you. If you are not a designated donor, please consider placing the designation on your driver’s license or state identification card. In Pennsylvania, it is simple; log on to www.donatelife-pa.org."Across the country, between 18 and 20 people die each day while awaiting a life-saving transplant," said state Health Secretary Everette James. "We hope that our efforts will bring much needed attention to organ donation, honoring those individuals who have already registered and donated to those in need while encouraging more citizens to give the gift of life." Department of Health representatives will join Donate Life members and other volunteers on the Capitol steps as a part of the vigil. The Candlelight Celebration for Donation will recognize and honor those on the waiting list, help drive awareness of the need for designated donors and continue to bring the need of organ donors to the forefront of legislators and the public.
How do you feel about organ and tissue donation? Chances are you think it’s a natural, appropriate and giving thing to do and have no real objections to the idea. If so, you’re one of the nine out of 10 Americans who supports organ and tissue donation. But are you also part of the 66 percent that doesn’t know what steps are actually required to commit to organ, eye or tissue donation?
Since the steps required to become a donor can differ from state to state, the first thing you need to do is visit www.donatelife-pa.org. Many people may think they know what is required to become a donor, but they may not be aware of the legislation here in Pennsylvania. While more and more states have adopted legislation which makes an individual’s decision to donate paramount and legally binding, other states still require consent from next-of-kin. "We hope that through our efforts statewide, we are able to reach every single Pennsylvanian and remind them of the critical need for registered organ and tissue donors," said Gift of Life President and CEO, Howard M. Nathan. "April offers a unique opportunity to reach out to the community and engage everyone in an open dialogue about organ and tissue donation."
Learn the facts
Despite continuing efforts at public education, misconceptions and inaccuracies about donation persist. Learn these facts to help you better understand organ, eye and tissue donation:
Fact: Anyone can be a potential donor regardless of age, race, or medical history.
Fact: All major religions in the United States support organ, eye and tissue donation and see it as the final act of love and generosity toward others.
Fact: If you are sick or injured and admitted to the hospital, the number one priority is to save your life. Organ, eye and tissue donation can only be considered after you are deceased.
Fact: When you are on the waiting list for an organ, what really counts is the severity of your illness, time spent waiting, blood type, and other important medical information, not your financial status or celebrity status.
Fact: An open casket funeral is possible for organ, eye and tissue donors. Through the entire donation process the body is treated with care, respect and dignity.
Fact: There is no cost to the donor or their family for organ or tissue donation.
Fact: Signing a donor card and a driver's license with an "organ donor" designation may not satisfy your state's requirements to become a donor. Be certain to take the necessary steps to be a donor and ensure that your family understands your wishes.
Thousands of Americans are in need of vital organs and tissues. For many, the chance to live a full life won’t come unless more of us consider organ, eye and tissue donation. Each one of us has the potential to save up to eight lives as an organ donor and touch another fifty as a tissue donor. The life giving transplants that are so precious to those waiting only happen when donors and families are benevolent enough to grant the gift of life. So please reflect, engage and celebrate National Donate Life Month with your families, friends and colleagues.
Thank you. To learn more or to register as an organ donor, please log on to www.donatelife-pa.org.
Remember, Because Life Begins with You.
About CORE
CORE (Center for Organ Recovery & Education) is a regional not-for-profit agency that is the primary call center and intermediary for the organ recovery and allocation process that serves 156 hospitals and more than six million people in western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Chemung County in New York. CORE has helped to pioneer organ procurement allocation and recovery for this region since it was founded in 1977 as the Pittsburgh Transplant Foundation. For more information www.core.org
NATIONAL PATIENT SAFETY WEEK
PATIENT SAFETY: TAKE STEPS TO GET INVOLVED IN YOUR HEALTH CARE
CORRY, Pa. (March 10, 2009) – Being a good steward applies to a range of topics in our lives – from money, to time, and even the environment. But how much do we actually think about being good stewards of our health care? We often leave full responsibility for health outcomes and treatment in the hands of doctors, hospitals and other medical professionals without getting “actively involved” in our health care treatment processes.
Most of us have seen firsthand at one time or another that medical errors can occur in hospitals, outpatient clinics, pharmacies, doctor’s offices, and even at home. They can happen in numerous ways – through allergic reactions to medicines, misplaced lab reports, surgical errors, taking the wrong medications, and so on.
Corry Memorial Hospital is dedicated to patient safety and encourages patients to be proactive about both getting involved in their health care and maximizing patient safety outcomes when navigating the range of U.S. health care systems.
What does it mean to be a proactive, involved patient? It means “partnering” with members of your health care team because all of you have a vested interest in helping to ensure the best possible health care outcomes. Here are some simple questions you can ask yourself to help determine your level of patient involvement:
• Have I researched my medical conditions (using reliable sources) to become a more informed patient?
• Do I speak up if I have questions or concerns about my health care, diagnoses or treatment options?
• When my doctor prescribes a new medicine, does he/she know about all other medications I am taking and in what doses (including vitamins and herbs)?
• When picking up medicines from the pharmacy, do I confirm that I have received the medicines prescribed by my doctor in his/her recommended doses?
• Have I received and read carefully the side effects my medicines can cause so that I can call my doctor if complications arise?
• When being discharged from the hospital or an outpatient clinic, do I fully understand the treatment plan I should use at home? If not, do I ask clarifying questions?
Answering “yes” to all or most of the above is a good indication that you are on the right track when it comes to taking an active role in your health care. There is another helpful resource written just for consumers titled, “20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors.” Produced by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, these free tips are accessible online at www.ahrq.gov/consumer/20tips.htm.
Making the extra effort to be a good steward of your health care – or the health care of a loved one – CAN make a difference when it comes to having better, healthier and safer lives.
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Last updated on April 13, 2009 11:48AM |
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