For the City Times

STEVENS POINT — Ascension St. Michael’s Hospital is one of seventeen hospitals honored by the University of Wisconsin Organ and Tissue Donation (UW OTD) for their ongoing commitment to saving and improving lives through organ and tissue donation.

Ascension St. Michael’s was recently recognized with the Excellence in Tissue Donation Award.

This award is given to partner hospitals who achieve at least a 60 percent consent rate.  This metric measures the collaborative work between the hospital staff and tissue bank in coordinating communication around tissue consent conversations.

“A successful organ donation program is closely aligned with our value of Reverence within Ascension,” said Crystal Kirschling, Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Administrative Officer at Ascension St. Michael’s. “Honoring patient’s wishes and respecting the value of every life, takes a team of dedicated individuals from a variety of patient care areas in collaboration with our spiritual services team.”

Ascension St. Michael’s was joined by Ascension NE Wisconsin – Mercy Campus, Oshkosh as Ascension Wisconsin facilities recognized by UW OTD for their efforts.

“In 2018 Ascension St. Michael’s appropriately screened and referred 100% of eligible patients for tissue/organ donation,” said Sandra Holmes, RN, BSN, Nursing Supervisor and Organ Donation Liaison at Ascension St. Michael’s Hospital. “Through the help of our tissue donor heroes, we were able to help 230 lives through the gifts of transplanted tissue which have helped to improve mobility, clarity of sight and pain relief.”

Holmes credits the work was accomplished by all staff and clinicians, especially those in the Emergency Department, Intensive and Progressive Care Unit and 5-East medical/surgical/pediatric floor.

As organ donation liaison, Holmes provides education and collaboration with UW- Organ and Tissue donation as well as Lion’s Eye Bank of Wisconsin.

The UW OTD Award winners were honored during a May ceremony in Wisconsin Dells.

“The clinical management of donors, coupled with a hospital’s compassionate support of donor families, is a critical component to saving lives through the gift of organ donation and transplantation,” said Michael Anderson, executive director of UW OTD. “We honor these hospitals and their incredible physicians and nursing teams for working so hard to help ensure that those who are waiting for a transplant will get a second chance at life.”

More information on organ, tissue and eye donation in Wisconsin can be found at DonateLifeWisconsin.org or at a Wisconsin DMV Service Center.