Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center Receives National Medal

August 31, 2005

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center has been awarded the Health Resources and Services Administration organ donation Medal of Honor from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The medal was awarded in a ceremony in Pittsburgh, Pa., honoring 184 of the nation's largest hospitals for substantially raising organ donation rates during 2004.

Wake Forest Baptist achieved an organ donation rate of more than 75 percent of all potential donors. Each donor can save up to eight lives and enhance the lives of up to 50 people through tissue donation.

# # #

Media Contacts: Diane Stephens, (336) 716-6906, dsstephe@wfubmc.edu; Shannon Koontz (336) 716-2415, shkoontz@wfubmc.edu; or Karen Richardson (336) 716-4453, krchrdsn@wfubmc.edu.

About Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center: Wake Forest Baptist is an academic health system comprised of North Carolina Baptist Hospital and Wake Forest University School of Medicine. It is licensed to operate 1,187 acute care, psychiatric, rehabilitation and long-term care beds and is consistently ranked as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” by U.S. News & World Report.


Media Relations