GBGH awarded for open communication about organ and tissue donation
Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) was recently honoured by Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN) with a Provincial Eligible Approach Rate Award. This award is presented to hospitals who exceed TGLN’s target of 90 per cent in having organ and tissue donation discussions with eligible patients/family members. GBGH achieved an eligible approach rate of 100 per cent. This is the first year GBGH has reached this target and received this award. Accepting the award on behalf of GBGH are critical care team members (from left): Leslie Tubman, team lead, Intensive Care Unit (ICU); Robin Tucker, ICU clerk; Nicole Lefaivre, critical care professional practice leader; Samantha Townes, manager, ICU; Kaitlyn Davidson, registered nurse (RN), ICU; and Dan Bedard, RN, Critical Care Float Team.
February 16, 2023 – Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) has been recognized with a Provincial Eligible Approach Rate Award from Ontario Health (Trillium Gift of Life Network [TGLN]), the province’s organ and tissue donation and transplantation agency. This award recognizes GBGH for its outstanding efforts to facilitate a discussion about organ and tissue donation between Ontario Health (TGLN) and eligible patients/families of patients at end of life.
“GBGH is very proud of the partnership with TGLN and the critical care team here has taken our role very seriously as facilitators of a difficult, yet important, discussion between TGLN, patients and families,” says Dr. Khalid Tahir, TGLN medical lead, intensivist and chief of Medicine, GBGH. “This is never an easy conversation because it means the end of life for a patient, but it is so important we not be afraid of facilitating these discussions which helps patients and families be aware of options. One of those options is donation and it can have wide-reaching, life-saving outcomes.”
This is the first time GBGH has exceeded the provincial eligible approach rate target of 90 per cent – set by Ontario Health (TGLN) – achieving 100 per cent in 2021-2022.
“The success of organ and tissue donation in Ontario relies on the hard work and dedication of our health care partners. Georgian Bay General Hospital has made an outstanding contribution to organ and tissue donation and this award is a reflection of their commitment to implementing leading donation practices, integrating donation as part of quality end-of-life care, and continuously working to save lives through organ and tissue donation,” says Rebecca Cooper, vice president, Ontario Renal Network and Trillium Gift of Life Network, Ontario Health. “Every Ontarian has the opportunity to demonstrate their support for this life-saving work by registering their consent to organ and tissue donation at BeADonor.ca.”
Despite COVID-19’s continued impact, the province contributed to 807 essential organ transplants while Ontario hospitals supported 302 organ donors and 1885 tissue donors. In 2021-2022, GBGH had four tissue donors enhancing the lives of many.
Approximately 1,300 people in Ontario are currently on the waitlist for a life-saving organ transplant, and every three days someone will die because they did not receive their transplant in time. While more than 22,000 Ontarians have received a lifesaving organ transplant since 2003 and the majority of Canadians say they understand the importance of organ donation, only 35 per cent of Ontarians have formally registered their consent for organ and tissue donation.
Ontario Health’s (TGLN) goal is to achieve 120,000 new registrations between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023. Visit www.beadonor.ca to register or find out more.
Both Penetanguishene, with 56 per cent, and Midland, with 55 per cent, well exceed the average provincial registration rate of 35 per cent. Penetanguishene ranks 19th and Midland ranks 26th for organ donation registration out of 170 communities in Ontario.
Contact:
Jennifer Moore
Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations, GBGH
705-526-1300 ext 5177