Baptist Health Lexington Awarded Medal of Honor for Organ Donation

Baptist Health Lexington has been awarded the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Bronze Medal of Honor for Organ Donation for achieving and sustaining national goals for donation, including a donation rate of 75 percent or more of eligible donors.

Baptist Health Lexington was among four Kentucky hospitals and 404 hospitals nationwide recognized October 4 during the Seventh Annual National Learning Congress on Organ Donation and Transplantation in Grapevine, Texas. Awards were presented for work done during the time period of April 1, 2010 through March 31, 2012.

Baptist Health Lexington partners with Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA), an independent, non-profit organ and tissue procurement agency servicing 114 counties in Kentucky.

 “I applaud these award winners for bringing the ‘gift of life’ to so many,” said HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Howard K. Koh, M.D., M.P.H.  "Their tireless efforts to make improvements in the donation and transplantation field will continue to help save lives." 

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) at HHS supports the Donation and Transplantation Community of Practice, which brings together donation and transplantation professionals, hospital staff, and other professionals involved in the donation process to identify and share best practices.