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PrintERMC participates in national organ donor drive
National Hospital Campaign aims to register 300,000 new organ, eye, and tissue donors by April 30, 2012
More than 111,000 people in the United States are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Today, 18 of them will die because not enough organs are available for transplantation. Hundreds of thousands of others whose lives would benefit from the gift of tissue and eye donations continue to wait and hope.
In Michigan, there are currently 3,000 people waiting for an organ transplant. Eaton Rapids Medical Center (ERMC) can help you give the gift of life. Recently, ERMC joined the WPFL Hospital Campaign as a Hospital Partner to work with organ donation organizations, national associations in the healthcare sector, and hospitals nationwide to register 300,000 new donors by April 30, 2012.
One organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people, and those who give tissue can improve the quality of life for up to 50 sick or injured people. Adding more names to the state's confidential database will make more organs available for the 3,000 people waiting in Michigan for a second chance at life.
ERMC is asking the entire community to help save lives by taking a few minutes to sign up for the Michigan organ donation registry Gift of Life Michigan by visiting www.giftoflifemichigan.org. For more information or assistance contact Lindsay at 517.663.9524.
Article posted on December 22nd 2011. - Article Permalink
Hospital food drive collects record amount
The Michigan Harvest Gathering Food Drive coordinated by Eaton Rapids Medical Center between October 21st and November 4th collected 5,032 pounds of food and personal care products, more than double the amount collected at last year's drive. All of the items collected were donated to the local food bank in Eaton Rapids, Heart & Hands. Donations totaling $403.38 were collected for the food bank as well.
Leslie Neubecker-Czubko, Registered Dietitian at Eaton Rapids Medical Center who coordinates the food drive annually couldn't be more pleased, stating "The amount collected completely exceeded my expectations this year! This community is so wonderful, caring and generous." Eaton Federal Savings Bank, Eaton Rapids Medical Center, Eaton Rapids Public Safety, Eaton Rapids Senior Center, Family Fare, Greyhound Middle, Intermediate and Lockwood Schools, Independent Bank, Island City Academy, Island City Assisted Living, Meridian Magnesium Products of America and Ross & Associates Realtors served as collection sites.
Article posted on November 17th, 2011. - Article Permalink
National Rural Health Day Set for November 17
Eaton Rapids Medical Center will join the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) in celebrating the first-ever National Rural Health Day on Thursday, November 17, 2011. NOSORH created National Rural Health Day as a way to showcase rural America; increase awareness of rural health-related issues; and promote the efforts of NOSORH, State Offices of Rural Health and others in addressing those issues. Plans call for National Rural Health Day to become an annual celebration on the third Thursday of each November.
Approximately 62 million people — nearly one in five Americans — live in rural and frontier communities throughout the United States. "These small towns, farming communities and frontier areas are wonderful places to live and work; they are places where neighbors know each other and work together," notes NOSORH Director Teryl Eisinger. "The hospitals and providers serving these rural communities not only provide quality patient care, but they also help keep good jobs in rural America."
These communities also face unique healthcare needs. "Today more than ever, rural communities must tackle accessibility issues, a lack of healthcare providers, the needs of an aging population suffering from a greater number of chronic conditions, and larger percentages of un- and underinsured citizens," Eisinger says. "Meanwhile, rural hospitals are threatened with declining reimbursement rates and disproportionate funding levels that makes it challenging to serve their residents."
State Offices of Rural Health play a key role in addressing those needs. All 50 states maintain a State Office of Rural Health, each of which shares a similar mission: to foster relationships, disseminate information and provide technical assistance that improves access to and the quality of health care for its rural citizens. In the past year alone, State Offices of Rural Health collectively provided technical assistance to more than 28,000 rural communities.
Additional information about National Rural Health Day can be found on the Web at www.celebratepowerofrural.org. To learn more about NOSORH, visit www.nosorh.org.
Article posted on November 16th, 2011. - Article Permalink