As seen  on Nurse.com
Published November 2, 2009

Two Greater Chicago hospitals were among 30 nationally that were honored by the federal government for improving their organ donation rates.

Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Ill., and Provena St. Joseph Medical Center, Joliet, Ill., received Gold Medal honors Sept. 30 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at the fifth annual National Learning Congress in Grapevine, Texas.

“These hospitals have made incredible progress in increasing the number of organs available for transplantation,” said Mary K. Wakefield, RN, PhD, administrator of HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration, in announcing the awards.

A total of 428 hospitals were honored nationwide, including Silver 1 Medal winners Northwest Community Hospital, Arlington Heights, Ill.; John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Chicago; Mount Sinai Hospital, Chicago; Our Lady of the Resurrection Medical Center, Chicago; Rush University Medical Center, Chicago; University of Chicago Medical Center; University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago; Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Downers Grove, Ill.; Alexian Brothers Medical Center, Elk Grove Village, Ill.; Condell Medical Center, Libertyville, Ill.; Centegra Hospital, McHenry, Ill.; St. James Hospital, Olympia Fields, Ill.; Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, Ill.; OSF Saint Anthony Hospital, Rockford, Ill.; Rockford (Ill.) Memorial Hospital; Vista Medical Center East, Waukegan, Ill.; and Central DuPage Hospital, Winfield, Ill.

Silver 2 Medals were awarded to Advocate Christ Hospital, Oak Lawn, Ill.; Swedish American Hospital, Rockford, Ill.; and Porter Memorial Hospital, Valparaiso, Ind.