In photo (L-R): Mary Ellen Clyne, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, Clara Maass Medical Center; Maria Paradiso, RN, Nurse Manager-Intensive Care Unit; Regina Cariddi, Hospital Services Manager, NJ Sharing Network; Maria Nagamos, RN, Perioperative Services, Clara Maass Medical Center; Kim Byrne, RN, Assistant Vice President, Patient Care Services, Clara Maass Medical Center: Joseph Wojtecki, Assistant Director, Patient Experience, Clara Maass Medical Center; Susan Gallina, RN, Nurse Manager, Perioperative Services, Clara Maass Medical Center; Donna Maria DeVita, RN, Assistant Director, Emergency Department, Clara Maass Medical Center; Michael Crockett, transplant recipient and volunteer, NJ Sharing Network; and Stacie J. Newton, MPA, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Clara Maass Medical Center.
Belleville, NJ – Clara Maass Medical Center, a facility of RWJBarnabas Health has earned Platinum recognition for its efforts to increase organ, eye, and tissue donor registrations, through the Workplace Partnership for Life (WPFL) Hospital Organ Donation Campaign. The WPFL is a national initiative that unites the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the organ donation community with workplaces across the nation in spreading the word about the importance of donation.
Clara Maass Medical Center was one of more than 1,490 organizations in the country to participate in the 2019 campaign and one of 639 organizations to earn Platinum recognition.
“We’re honored to receive the Platinum Award this year in recognition of our efforts to support organ and tissue donation” said Mary Ellen Clyne, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Clara Maass Medical Center. “At Clara Maass, we truly understand the gift of life that is given to others through organ and tissue donation and are proud of our work to educate our community and to provide opportunities to register as an organ donor” Clyne said.
The Platinum Award was presented to Clara Maass Medical Center by representatives from the New Jersey Sharing Network, Regina Cariddi, Hospital Services Manager and Michael Crockett, a transplant recipient who also volunteers with the NJ Sharing Network.
Maria Paradiso, RN, Nurse Manager of the Intensive Care Unit and Joseph Wojtecki, Assistant Director of the Patient Experience Department served as the Medical Center’s Co-Chairs for the 2019 Campaign, and partnered with various hospital departments including the Emergency Department and Public Relations in order to convey the importance of organ, eye, and tissue donation to patients, visitors, and the community at-large.
Between October 2018 and April 2019, Clara Maass Medical Center participated in HRSA’s WPFL Hospital Organ Donation Campaign. The program challenges hospitals and health care organizations to “let life bloom” by educating their staff, patients, visitors, and communities about the critical need for organ, eye, and tissue donation and by offering them opportunities to register as donors. As part of the Campaign, Clara Maass Medical Center earned points for completing awareness and registry activities and prompting new donor registrations during the campaign period. Clara Maass Medical Center partnered with New Jersey Sharing Network to leverage its outreach efforts.
This year’s Hospital Organ Donation Campaign added more than 48,000registrations to state registries and the Puerto Rico registry, which also includes registrations from the U.S. Virgin Islands. The campaign has generated more than 492,000 registrations since its inception in 2011 and unites donation advocates at hospitals with representatives from their local organ procurement organizations, Donate Life America affiliates, and state and regional hospital associations.
According to the NJ Sharing Network, every 10 minutes, another person is added to the organ transplant list, reaffirming the critical and growing need for registered organ, eye, and tissue donors. For more information about the Hospital Campaign, visit www.organdonor.gov/hospitals.
To sign up as a donor, go to: https://www.njsharingnetwork.org/claramaass
For more information about the Workplace Partnership for Life Hospital Organ Donation Campaign, go to: https://www.organdonor.gov/
About Clara Maass Medical Center
Located in Belleville, NJ, Clara Maass Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, provides a complete continuum of care to residents of northern New Jersey. Clara Maass recently completed state-of-the-art campus expansion project featuring a new four-story 87,000 square foot building with a private, 32-bed Intensive Care Unit, new Main Entrance and Lobby, Retail Pharmacy, Patient Registration Area and designated new space to accommodate our future Emergency Department expansion. Clara Maass’ services include: The Cancer Center, Center for Breast Health and Disease Management, Radiation Oncology, Infusion Therapy, Cardiac Services Elective and Emergency Angioplasty and Cardiac Rehabilitation, The Pain Management Center, The Joint & Spine Institute, a Vascular Lab, The Vein Center, The Wound Center, The Center for Sleep Disorders, The Bariatric Surgery Center, Rehabilitation; Therapy Services which includes, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, The Eye Surgery Center, Maternity Services and Parent Education, Pediatrics, Center of Excellence for Latino Health, and the Health and Wellness Center. Clara Maass has been recognized with twelve Grade ‘A’ scores for patient safety and quality by The Leapfrog Group. It is listed by the American Hospital Association as one of Healthcare’s Most Wired hospitals. In 2016-17 Clara Maass has received the Healthgrades Obstetrics and Gynecology Excellence Award and the Labor and Delivery Excellence Award. Clara Maass received Disease Specific Care Certification from the Joint Commission for Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS), Congestive Heart Failure, Hip Replacement, Knee Replacement, Cardiac Rehabilitation and Advanced Certification in Palliative Care. Clara Maass earned Clara Maass’ steadfast commitment to improve the health and well-being of the communities it serves is exemplified through award winning programs including the nationally recognized HELP Volunteer program, recipient of the American Hospital Association 2017 HAVE Award, and the Wellness Assessment Van for Elders (WAVE) which was recognized as the New Jersey Hospital Association’s 2017 HRET Community Outreach Award. For a physician referral or more information about Clara Maass, call 1-888-724-7123 or visit www.rwjbh.org/claramaass.