At LifePoint, we are pleased to work with each of you in ways that both increase and improve organ and tissue donation. In an effort to keep everyone informed about donation-related news around the state, we would like to continue emailing LifePoint’s electronic newsletter to you.
Through Life Points, we want to provide you with comprehensive and timely information spanning best practices, as well as advances and trends pertinent to donation, key accomplishments, statewide statistics, important LifePoint contacts, and upcoming events. We will honor donor families, recipients and especially those professionals who help make possible the challenging but meaningful work of donation and transplantation.
We welcome your story ideas and feedback as we develop this into a relevant publication worthy of your time. Please email your thoughts and content suggestions to our Life Points editor, Sue Poveromo: poveromos@lifepoint-sc.org.
Also, please forward this link to others in the donation community who may be interested in these news items. New readers can be added to our mailing list by completing our quick online form. Thank you.
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Bridging the Gap between Organ Supply and Demand
More organ donors means more lives saved. And more organs recovered per donor means even more lives saved. Since the creation of The Organ Transplantation Breakthrough Collaborative by former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Tommy Thompson, LifePoint has joined with other OPOs in the nation to collaborate more effectively with hospitals within their respective service areas. Improved collaboration between LifePoint and South Carolina hospitals has resulted in saving increasingly more lives through donation and transplantation. Dramatically increasing the availability of transplantable organs continues to require the implementation and use of nationally-recognized best practices.
Through their attendance at national collaborative meetings, representatives from LifePoint and many S.C. hospitals are now able to quickly identify, learn, adapt, replicate and celebrate "breakthrough" practices that are associated with higher donation rates when adhered to by organ procurement organizations and hospitals.
The 15 Nationally Recognized Best Practices:
1. Orient organizational mission and goals toward increasing organ donation.
2. Do not be satisfied with the status quo; innovate and experiment continuously.
3. Strive to recruit and retain highly motivated and skilled staff.
4. Appoint members to OPO board who can help achieve organ donation goals.
5. Specialize roles to maximize performance.
6. Tailor or adapt the organ donation process to complementary strengths of OPO and individual hospitals.
7. Be there: integrate OPO staff into the fabric of high potential hospitals.
8. Identify and support organ donation champions at various hospital levels; include leaders who are willing to be called upon to overcome barriers to organ donation in real time.
9. All aboard: secure and maintain buy-in at all levels of hospital staff and across departments/functions that affect organ donation.
10. Educate constantly; tailor and accommodate to staff needs, requests and constraints.
11. Design, implement, and monitor public education and outreach efforts to achieve informed consent and other donation goals.
12. Referral: anticipate, don’t hesitate, and call early even when in doubt.
13. Draw on respective OPO and hospital strengths to establish an integrated consent process. One size does not fit all, but getting to an informed “yes” is paramount.
14. Use data to drive decision-making.
15. Follow up in a timely and systematic manner. Don’t let any issues fester.
 Best Practices Course Available for Credit
A key part of success in donation education is the free Best Practices course being taught by Hospital Development Coordinators from the LifePoint staff. Hundreds of hospital staff employees have been trained since the course was first offered.
“It is a nurse-driven program to increase donation awareness and referrals and to create a more collaborative working relationship between LifePoint and the South Carolina hospitals,” said Rebecca Nagy of LifePoint. The half-day course was initially offered to MUSC where, according to Rebecca, “the class has made a huge impact on results.”
The Best Practices course is now mandatory at MUSC and also at Roper Hospital. Roper’s goal is to have all ICU staff complete the Best Practices class by end of first quarter 2008. As of November 2007, 35% had completed the course.
Mary Jane Plance, Clinical Nurse Specialist Surgical Services at Roper Hospital, was instrumental in getting classes approved for Roper. “The staff and I think that the class is great; it allows them to ask questions and discuss concerns and issues in a more personal, non-threatening environment.” Mary Jane believes that “participation in the class has begun to improve the relationship between LifePoint and the staff.” She adds, “I hope that improved relationship translates into improved organ donation practices: referral rate, timely notification, and conversion rates of 100% in 2008.”
The Best Practices course is recommended for everyone working in critical care units who has any involvement with organ and tissue donation. After the full staff is trained, ongoing training is available for new graduates and new hires. One session lasting between three and three-and-a-half hours has been approved for 2.6 CEUs.
Debby Broughton, RN, who also teaches the course, said, “I can actually see the transformation of people and their attitudes from the beginning of the class to the end.” Debby and Rebecca concur that the greatest challenge for hospitals to sign up is related to payment of the nurses for the half day missed during training. However, the hospital/OPO contract does require hospitals to provide some form of organ donation training to the staff – either internally or with the assistance of LifePoint.
How to Sign Up for the Course
Classes for Lowcountry and Coastal hospitals are offered at LifePoint on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Additional classes are offered in the Myrtle Beach area quarterly and as needed. Classes for Midlands and Upstate hospitals can also be scheduled as needed.
Arrange to take the Best Practices Course by contacting Traci Adams, Director of Hospital Development, LifePoint at 1.800.462.0755 or adamst@lifepoint-sc.org. |
Kim joined MUSC on Sept. 1, 2007 from a position as Transplant Program Administrator at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. Prior to that, he was a staff nurse on an inpatient transplant unit and clinical transplant coordinator in the pediatric kidney transplant program for 10 years.
He is responsible for incorporating the Transplant Center into the Service Line structure that is being implemented within the key clinical areas of MUSC. This includes:
- Heart Transplant and Heart Failure Treatment Program
- Kidney Transplant Program
- Liver Transplant Program
- Pancreas Transplant Progam
- Blood and Marrow Transplant Program
- Outpatient Transplant Clinics - Rutledge Tower
- Inpatient Abdominal Transplant Unit - 6 East
Kim earned his bachelor's degree in Nursing from the University of Iowa in 1987, his master’s degree in Nursing Administration in 1992 and his ABTC certification as clinical transplant coordinator in 1994.
“I enjoy working in a field that is rapidly changing and filled with opportunities to use innovative treatments to impact the lives of patients with serious health conditions,” Kim said. “I have a personal interest in living donation and increasing the number of patients in South Carolina who are able to receive a kidney transplant from a live donor,” he added. “I'm very excited to be here in South Carolina collaborating with such a phenomenal OPO to meet the needs of patients with end stage organ failure. I'm confident that we will be able to increase the number of patients who can benefit from a life-saving / enhancing organ transplant and work to reduce the number of patients who must wait for an organ to become available.”
As of this writing, Kim and his family have sold their home in Utah and relocated to Mt. Pleasant, where they bought a house. His family includes his wife who is an RN and three daughters ages 18, 14, and 11, plus three cats and one dog.
By Ellen Kerns, Manager of Ocular Services, LifePoint
LifePoint is one of three eye banks which has been chosen to participate in a research project for providing long-term treatment of people with Parkinson’s Disease. LifePoint supports ongoing progress in research by recovering eye tissue generously donated by families of deceased individuals whose eye tissue could not be used for transplant.
LifePoint is now seeking specific consent for neonatal eye tissue donation to further the current research project being conducted by Lonza, a Swiss pharmaceutical company. Researchers at their facility in Walkersville, Md., have developed a drug called Spheramine, which utilizes dopamine secreted from the retinal pigment epithelial cells. After careful excision from the eye, these cells are grown on culture plates and the dopamine harvested. Spheramine is beginning Phase III clinical trials and has been fast-tracked by the FDA.
LifePoint was chosen to participate in the present phase of the project due to excellent performance in earlier phases and is grateful to donor families for providing the opportunity to help those affected by Parkinson’s Disease.
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The face of Tanya Austin, an organ donor from Easley, S.C., was among 40 donors whose faces graced the national “Donate Life” float in the Rose Bowl Parade
Tanya’s sister Bridget Calhoun traveled with their mother, Evonne Austin, to Pasadena, Calif., at the end of December, to help put the finishing touches on a “floragraph” of Tanya for the float. (Floragraphs are artistic portraits created by using spices, seeds, and other organic materials to cover a digitized photograph.)
Read more about Tanya online at: http://www.donatelifefloat.org/prod/components/media_center/floragraphs/austin.html |
LifePoint Professional Development Liaison / Special Events Manager
Shirley McAdams joined LifePoint in November to fill a newly created position. Her role is to:
- Facilitate a speaker's bureau for Hospital Development and professional education
- Serve as Special Events Manager for symposiums, the 5K Run/Walk, and for other events that LifePoint participates in and hosts
- Serve as LifePoint's liaison for the S.C. Lions for Life program
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Most recently, as Volunteer Coordinator for Donate Life South Carolina in Greenville, Shirley developed and managed a Volunteer Program consisting of organ and tissue donor families, recipients, and health care professionals. In addition to creating and implementing the volunteer training program, she initiated a speakers’ bureau trained by Transplant Speakers International.
Her career as a team leader includes 27 years as a Physical Education Instructor, Basketball Coach, and Volleyball Coach – the last 25 at James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C. Shirley earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, N.C.
Shirley’s home office is in the Spartanburg area, but she frequently works from the LifePoint office in Charleston. She may be contacted at mcadamss@lifepoint-sc.org or 1.800.462.0755.
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Inappropriate Term |
Appropriate Term |
“harvest” organs/tissues
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“donation” of organs/tissues
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| “procure” organs/tissues |
“recover” organs/tissues |
| “cadaver” donor |
“deceased” donor |
| “life” support |
“mechanical” support or “ventilator” support |
| “non-heart beating donation” |
“organ donation after cardiac death” |
| “obtained consent” or “got consent” |
“consent given” |
| “did a donor” |
“facilitated a donation” |
| “donated body parts” |
“donated organs/tissues” |
| “organ/tissue yield” |
“donated organs/tissues” |
 Ten South Carolina hospitals were among 392 hospitals nationwide that received awards in October from The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for success in increasing organ donation rates. All were recognized during the Third National Learning Congress on Organ Donation and Transplantation held in Nashville, Tenn., on Oct. 9-10.
Hospital executives, together with their partners in 57 federally-designated organ procurement organizations (OPOs), received the Department's Medal of Honor for Organ Donation for achieving and sustaining a donation rate of 75 percent or more of eligible donors. (Three of every four medically eligible organ donors actually became donors.)
Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, Greenville Memorial Hospital and the Medical University of South Carolina were recognized with the “3Pete” award for sustaining a 75% conversion rate three years in a row. LifePoint was among only 22 of the 58 organ procurement organizations in the U.S. that received Improvement Leader Awards for having a 75% conversion rate in their Donation Service Area (DSA) for any consecutive 12-month period from August 2005 – June 2007.
To order your “Donate Life” License Plate, visit your local DMV (www.scdmvonline.com).
Plate cost: $30 (in addition to the regular registration fee)
More than two-thirds of the plate cost supports donation.
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The legacy of one young man’s death in a vehicle crash is embodied in the message that South Carolina drivers can now sport on their license plates: “Donate Life – Become an Organ and Tissue Donor.”
When Thad Billings died in 1994 at the age of 19, five other people’s lives were saved through his donations. Since their son’s death, Ed and Margie Billings of Columbia, S.C., have been devoted proponents of donation, with Ed working actively to have the license plate designed and approved.
The plate design, unveiled on Feb. 24, 2007, became available to the public on June 4. Support donation by ordering your Donate Life License Plate.
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Tina Holmes joined LifePoint as Funeral Home Liaison in November 2007. She is a licensed funeral director and embalmer who has worked directly with organ and tissue donors and recipients as well as authored protocol for approaching families regarding donation.
In her new role, Tina is providing open lines of communication between South Carolina funeral directors and LifePoint by:
- Fielding questions and addressing any concerns
- Offering education and training on donor reconstruction practices
- Providing new information on embalming best practices
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She has worked for single and multi-location funeral homes in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina as well as operated her own embalming trade service. Tina taught embalming at the Funeral Service Program at Mercer County (N.J.) Community College.
Most recently, she obtained her North Carolina Funeral Service license and worked for six years as the Market General Manager for the Western North Carolina funeral home locations of the Alderwoods Group. Prior to that Tina was a licensed funeral service provider in New Jersey.
She has a B.S. in psychology from Ursinus College in Pennsylvania and began her career as a Patient Advocate for Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Tina acted as a liaison for patients, their families, and the medical staff. She worked directly with the donors and recipients of organ and tissue donation. Tina was honored by the Pennsylvania Patient Representative Society as a committee member directed to author the protocol for approaching families about organ and tissue donation for the state.
Tina and her husband will be relocating from their home in Asheville, N.C., and residing in the Charleston area where she is based. Contact Tina at holmest@lifepoint-sc.org or 1.800.462.0755.
There are approximately 98,000 patients on the National Transplant Waiting List and, as of Jan. 4, 2008, nearly 700 of those patients are on the South Carolina waiting list. Source: United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).
| Organ |
# WAITING ON S.C. LIST |
# WAITING ON NATIONAL LIST |
| Kidney |
630 |
74,162 |
| Liver |
28 |
16,602 |
| Pancreas |
7 |
1,631 |
| Kidney & Pancreas |
27 |
2,267 |
| Heart |
9 |
2,686 |
Total Number of Donors in South Carolina during 2007 |
| Organ Donors |
193 (540 organs recovered) |
| Eye Donors |
794 |
| Tissue Donors |
409 |
 Excitement is building among organ transplant recipients as Team South Carolina prepares to compete in the National Kidney Foundation U.S. Transplant Games in Pittsburgh, Pa., to be held July 11-16, 2008. In the Olympic-style competition, participants can vie for gold, silver and bronze medals in one or more sports including: badminton, basketball, bowling, cycling, golf, racquetball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.
A planning committee, composed of representatives from NKF-South Carolina, MUSC and LifePoint, has identified fund-raising opportunities to help send recipients to the Games.
Lend your support by buying chances to win such items as men’s golf clubs, a tennis package, a laptop and a Corvette.To purchase your chance or to get more information about the Games, contact:
Peggy Strawhorn: pstrawhorn@kidneysc.org or 1.800.488.2277
Shirley McAdams: mcadamss@lifepoint-sc.org or 1.800.462.0755
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 Jan. 19, 2008 – Laura Griffin 5K Run/Walk
The walk, hosted by College of Charleston, is in honor of Laura Griffin who was an organ donor. In conjunction with the run is a Health Expo where LifePoint will have a booth promoting organ and tissue donation. See the College of Charleston Web site for entry information: www.cofc.edu/lauragriffinrun.
Feb. 9, 2008 – Faith & Fun Night at the Stingrays Ice Hockey Game
Come join LifePoint at the game, help raise awareness about donation and enjoy a Christian rock concert following the game. Visit www.stingrayshockey.com for more game details.
March 10, 2008 – Deadline for submitting information about your upcoming seminar or other special event for listing in the Spring edition of “Life Points.” Send submissions to Sue Poveromo: poveromos@lifepoint-sc.org.
March 21, 2008 – Health Care Night at the Stingrays Ice Hockey Game
Come join LifePoint at the game and help raise awareness about donation. Visit www.stingrayshockey.com for more game details.
April 2008 – National Donate Life Month
April 12, 2008 – LifePoint 3rd Annual Gift of Life 5K Run/Walk
Watch our Web site for upcoming details at www.lifepoint-sc.org. Proceeds will help send Team South Carolina to the 2008 U.S. Transplant Games. For more information, contact Shirley McAdams at mcadamss@lifepoint-sc.org.
July 11-16, 2008 – National Kidney Foundation U.S. Transplant Games in Pittsburgh, Pa. Transplant recipients on Team S.C. will celebrate life as they compete in Olympic-style events for bronze, silver and gold medals. For more information on the games, contact: Peggy Strawhorn at pstrawhorn@kidneysc.org or Shirley McAdams at mcadamss@lifepoint-sc.org. |
If you have comments, story ideas or announcements, please contact Life Points' editor Sue Poveromo.
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A Message from Nancy A. Kay
Donors, LifePoint Provide Neonatal Eye Tissue for Parkinson’s Research
South Carolina Donor Honored on Rose Bowl Parade Float
LifePoint Funeral Home Liaison