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Gift of Life Network credits hospitals for more organ donors than ever

Hospitals reach new height in identification, referral and management of potential organ donors
2016-03-24 medical clinic
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NEWS RELEASE

TRILLIUM GIFT OF LIFE NETWORK

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TORONTO - Thanks to the commitment of Ontario hospitals more organ donors gave the gift of life in the 2016/17 fiscal year than ever before.

“Our year-end donation performance data shows the commitment of designated hospitals to making organ and tissue donation part of quality end-of-life care,” said Ronnie Gavsie, president and CEO, Trillium Gift of Life Network.

“For the past three years, Ontario has celebrated record years for donation and transplantation – success that would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our hospital partners to identify and convert potential donors. We thank them for their life-saving efforts and results,” she said.

Hospitals are evaluated based on two metrics: conversion rate; and routine notification rate. Conversion rate measures the percentage of potential organ donors who went on to become actual donors.

During the 2016/17 fiscal year, Ontario hospitals set a record for conversion rate: 63 per cent of potential donors saved lives through organ donation – a seven percentage point increase over 2015/16.

In the fourth quarter (Jan. 1 –- Mar. 31, 2017) 15 of the 55 hospitals that report on conversion rate converted all potential donors to actual donors, achieving a 100 per cent conversion rate:

  • Bluewater Health (Sarnia);
  • Brant Community Healthcare System (Brantford);
  • Brockville General Hospital;
  • Cambridge Memorial Hospital;
  • Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (Ottawa);
  • Health Sciences North (Sudbury);
  • Mackenzie Health (Richmond Hill);
  • North Bay Regional Health Centre;
  • Queensway Carleton Hospital (Ottawa);
  • Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (Barrie);
  • St. Joseph Healthcare Hamilton;
  • St. Joseph’s Health Centre (Toronto);
  • The Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto);
  • Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre;
  • Timmins and District Hospital.

The second metric, routine notification, is the percentage at which a hospital notifies Trillium Gift of Life Network of a potential organ and/or tissue donor. Notification is the vital first step in donation.

Throughout the 2016/17 fiscal year, 94 per cent of all potential organ and tissue donors were referred to Trillium Gift of Life Network. 

In the fourth quarter seven of the 69 hospitals that report on routine notification rate notified Trillium Gift of Life Network of all potential donors, achieving a routine notification rate of 100 per cent:

  • Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (Ottawa);
  • Collingwood General and Marine Hospital;
  • Health Sciences North (Sudbury);
  • Joseph Brant Hospital (Burlington);
  • Sault Area Hospital (Sault Ste. Marie);
  • St. Joseph’s General Hospital Elliot Lake;
  • University of Ottawa Heart Institute.

Gavsie added, “Together, Trillium Gift of Life Network and Ontario hospitals are working to ensure that no opportunities for donation are missed. Our goal is that all families are given the information they need and the opportunity to make a choice about donation.”

In 2016/17 Ontario hospitals supported 354 deceased organ donors and performed 1,256 life-saving organ transplants. More than 2,200 tissue donors enhanced the lives of thousands through the gift of corneas, skin, bone, and heart valves.

For donation performance data, by hospital, please visit here.

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