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I’m Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health
at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
I would like to thank
the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations
for all your good work
and especially for serving as a national partner
in the Department of Health and Human Services’
Workplace Partnership for Life Hospital Campaign.
As a physician who has cared for patients
for more than 30 years,
I often witnessed patients
suffering preventable suffering
and dying preventable deaths.
I often thought
there has to be a better way.
Each of you, by working to increase
the number of registered organ, eye, and tissue donors
and by coordinating the donor process
contributes daily to that better way.
Too often,
we see what happens to human health
when organs fail,
or eyes and tissues become damaged.
We need transplantation,
so that thousands of people
will not die or live with impaired health.
And transplantation cannot happen without donation.
When my Health Resources and Services Administration colleagues
launched the Hospital Organ Donation Campaign,
and asked you to engage hospitals
to increase the number
of organ donors nationally,
each of you worked to find a better way
to help thousands of people
who are currently waiting for transplants.
One of the things that excites me about this campaign
is that you can partner with state hospital associations,
hospitals, and transplant centers—
as well as nurses, physicians,
senior executives, public relations professionals,
and community volunteers.
In doing so,
you’re not only increasing the number
of registered donors nationally
and saving lives.
You are also identifying and inspiring
champions for organ donation
and champions for public health—
because everyone has the potential
to make the nation a healthier one.
So my sincerest thanks
to all 53 OPOs
that are participating in this campaign.
In particular, I’d like to acknowledge those OPOs
whose hospital partners reached
gold, silver, and bronze level recognition
by planning outreach, education,
and registry events.
Immediately after my remarks,
you will see a list of those
organ procurement organizations
followed by the number of hospitals
in their donor service area that reached
these high levels of recognition.
It is our hope
that with this campaign
promoting donor registry enrollment
will become an integrated part
of the culture of hospitals in this country.
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Congratulations to all of you
and thank you for continuing to work with us
to improve the health of our nation.