Awards and Accreditation

Lifeline of Ohio was established as an independent non-profit organ procurement organization in 1985. Our dedication to providing quality service has continued to grow with each passing year. Lifeline of Ohio is proud of the following accreditation  and awards we have been presented with in acknowledgement of our outstanding staff and their values and practices.
Accreditation:

• Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO)
• American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB)

Lifeline of Ohio meets the compliance standards for the following organizations:

• Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA)
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
• Lifeline of Ohio is a member in good standing of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)
• Lifeline of Ohio has been approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) as the designated OPO serving 37 counties in Ohio along with Wood and Hancock counties in West Virginia.

Awards:

• Lifeline of Ohio received three PRism Awards from the Central Ohio Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) in 2011. Lifeline of Ohio won the non-profit Best of Show award for “Shining a Brighter Light on Organ and Tissue Donation,” its 2010 Guinness World Record-breaking Candlelight Vigil held April 11, 2010. The event also received the PRism for best non-profit special.
• Lifeline of Ohio’s Blog, Stay in the LOOP earned the 2010 PRism Award for best non-profit blog.
• Lifeline of Ohio’s “Live On. Ride On.” motorcycle outreach campaign has received much praise, including a 2010 Silver Anvil from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), a 2011 Silver SABRE Award from The Holmes Report, a 2010 PRism Award for “Marketing Communications/Existing Products or Services, Non-Profit” category, and the “Creativity Award” in the American Association of Tissue Banks’ 2010 Promotional Tools Contest
• Lifeline of Ohio recieved the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration silver Medal of Honor in October 2010 for working to increase the number of organs donated per individual donor, and expanding clinical processes to recover organs.
• Lifeline of Ohio received two U.S Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources  and Services Administration Medals of Honor for meeting a 75 percent donor conversion rate and attaining the 10 percent goal for donation after circulatory death in October 2009.
• Lifeline of Ohio received the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration Silver Medal of Honor for achieving the 90 percent donation after cardiac death goal in October 2007.
• Additionally, Lifeline of Ohio was awarded the Donation Service Area award for meeting the 75 percent organ donation conversion rate in its service area over a 12-month period in October 2007.

Lifeline of Ohio provides:

1. Evaluation: A procurement coordinator is available round-the-clock to evaluate medical suitability for each potential organ or tissue donor. This screening takes places when the hospital contacts Lifeline of Ohio (LOOP) in accordance with the routine-notification protocol.

2. Authorization: Lifeline of Ohio obtains authorization as prescribed by Ohio Law and all industry standards. Hospitals are required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to report all deaths to Lifeline of Ohio in order to screen for potential donation. In the event that the patient is a candidate for organ or tissue donation, Lifeline of Ohio obtains the decedent’s wish to donate when available and works with the family so that they may support their loved one’s decision.

3. Management: Once brain death has been declared and documented, the procurement coordinator is responsible for the medical management of the donor and writing orders to optimize the viability of each organ, under the direction of the donor surgeon.

4. Surgical Recovery: The procurement coordinator arranges for the appropriate incoming surgical teams to recover the donated organs and tissues. Cosmetic reconstruction of the donor is completed following surgery.

5. Preservation: Trained perfusionists are provided to ensure that all organs and tissues are preserved and stored properly until transplantation.

6. Financial Aspects: Once death has been declared and consent is secured, all costs associated with organ and tissue donation will be assumed by Lifeline of Ohio.

7. Quality Assurance: All required immunological testing recommended by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) are performed. A thorough medical history, blood cultures and tissue cultures are obtained on all organ and tissue donors. In addition, an autopsy may be necessary if the circumstances surrounding the death warrant further explanation.

8. Professional Education: Educational programs are available to medical, administrative, nursing, pastoral-care, social-worker, and other hospital staff to increase awareness and knowledge about organ and tissue donation. Lifeline of Ohio is an approved provider of nursing continuing education CE’s through the Ohio Nurses Association. We also sponsor specialized educational offerings, such as Designated Requestor training (in collaboration with other recovery agencies in Central Ohio).

9. Community Education: Lifeline of Ohio is dedicated to increasing the community’s awareness of the drastic need for organ and tissue donation. By working in partnership with schools, businesses, religious leaders, BMV staff, and other individuals committed to the cause, we can educate the community about the “Gift of Life.” Lifeline of Ohio staff and volunteers provide free speakers, displays, and information for community programs, events, and health fairs.

10. Community Relations: Throughout the year, Lifeline of Ohio sponsors a combination of special events, broadcast and print interviews, and community campaigns in an effort to promote public awareness about organ and tissue donation.