Patients who donated the precious gift of life at Freeman enabled 32 organs to be transplanted in 2018, giving recipients a second chance at life. The organ conversion rate at Freeman in 2018 was 86%. The national goal for the same year was 75%.
Approximately 2,600 individuals also received the healing gift of tissue donation from Freeman patients. Freeman had a tissue conversion rate of 46 percent in 2018.
Nationally, more than 120,000 people are waiting for an organ – one person is added to a waiting list every 10 minutes. By registering to be an organ donor, an individual can save as many as eight lives and directly improve the lives of up to 50 people through tissue donation. At the end of 2018, 77% of adults in Missouri were listed on the Missouri Donor Registry and 77% of adults in Kansas were listed on the Kansas Donor Registry. Individuals may register to be an organ and tissue donor by visiting donatelife.net.
About Freeman Health System
Locally owned, not-for-profit and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital and Ozark Center – the area’s largest provider of behavioral health services – as well as two urgent care clinics, dozens of physician clinics and a variety of specialty services. In 2019, Freeman earned dozens of individual awards for medical excellence and patient safety from CareChex®, a quality rating system that helps consumers evaluate healthcare providers. With more than 300 physicians on staff representing more than 70 specialties, Freeman provides cancer care, heart care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, children’s services and women’s services. Additionally, Freeman is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com.