News Release: September 26, 2008

ALBUQUERQUE, NM — Presbyterian Hospital, in collaboration with New Mexico Donor Services, was presented with the distinguished Organ Donation Medal of Honor by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This medal was presented in recognition of the hospital’s efforts to facilitate and promote the process of organ donation.

 Presbyterian Hospital maintained an organ donation rate of 75 percent or greater of eligible organ donations last year as part of the HHS’s Breakthrough Collaborative.

Currently, there are more than 100 patients awaiting kidney transplants in Presbyterian's Transplant Center and 620 people throughout New Mexico who are in need of an organ transplant.

 “Presbyterian serves to improve the health of individuals, families and communities, and we take great pride in improving patient’s lives with our kidney transplant program. It’s a great responsibility and very humbling to be part of an organ donation program that saves the lives of patients in New Mexico,” said David Scrase, M.D., chief operating officer of Presbyterian.

Launched in 2003, the Organ Donation Breakthrough Collaborative has combined the efforts of donation professionals and hospital leaders to produce a more effective way to integrate family-centered organ donation into hospital practices. Since 2003, the program has guided the amount of hospitals with 75 percent or more donation rates to grow to more than eight times its original size increasing from 55 to 392 in just a few years.