Health Alliance Adds Living Donor Leave Benefit to

Health Alliance Adds Living Donor Leave Benefit to Employee Benefits Plan

Cincinnati - The Health Alliance, Greater Cincinnati's third largest employer, has added a Living Donor Leave Benefit to its employee benefits plan. The benefit provides eligible employees who are serving as living organ donors or bone marrow donors with paid time off. Time off under the Living Donor Leave Benefit will not decrease eligible employees' accumulated paid time off (PTO) hours, which are used for vacation, scheduled holidays, personal and sick time. Also, eligible employees who take time off under this benefit will not suffer any loss in benefits, employment status, length of service or income.

All full-time employees regularly scheduled to work 64 - 80 hours per pay period, and all part-time employees regularly scheduled to work 40 - 63 hours per pay period, are eligible for the living donor leave benefit. Based on individual medical need for recuperation, the benefit provides up to 40 hours absence with pay for solid organ donation and 16 hours absence with pay for a bone marrow donation.

"Although living organ donors' medical expenses are paid for by the organ recipients' insurance, donors typically endure loss of wages and loss of vacation/sick time while recovering from surgery," says Paul Volek, administrative director of transplant services, University Hospital. "This benefit allows living organ donors and bone marrow donors to be paid their usual salary during their recovery, without having to use their vacation or sick time. Because there is such a great need for more organ donors, it is our hope that other local businesses will consider offering this benefit for their employees as well."

Shirley Kendall, a Health Alliance employee, donated a kidney to her sister-in-law in August 1996. "The Health Alliance's core values - Respect, Integrity, Teamwork and Excellence - are evident in the Living Donor Leave Benefit. This new benefit recognizes the actions of Health Alliance employees who are giving the gift of life to another person," says Kendall.

"Every day, about 16 people on the organ transplant waiting list die because there are not enough organs available. That's why living organ donation has become so important in helping those on the waiting list have a second chance at life," says Prabir Roy-Choudhury, M.D., Ph.D., nephrologist, The University Hospital, and associate professor of medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. "Living kidney donation has a significantly better success rate than that of a deceased donor. Compared to organ recipients from a deceased donor, living kidney donor recipients do not have to experience a long waiting period, fewer experience rejection, and they usually require less medications post-transplant."

April has been designated as National Donate Life Month. Last year, more than 20,000 lives in the United States were saved through organ transplants. However, more than 87,000 people are currently waiting for life-saving organ transplants. Another name is added to the transplant waiting list every 13 minutes. Organs such as kidney and bone marrow can be donated from a living donor such as a blood relative, spouse or friend. Organs can also be donated from a deceased donor, or someone who has given consent to donate his or her organs at the time of death. These donors must register their intent to be an organ, tissue and eye donor in their state donor registry (Ohio and Indiana residents); sign and carry a donor card (Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana residents); and tell their family members and loved ones their wishes.

The Health Alliance provides a comprehensive solid organ adult transplant program that includes liver, kidney, simultaneous kidney/pancreas, pancreas and heart transplantation at The University Hospital, and kidney transplantation at The Christ Hospital. In 2005, Christ and University combined performed 112 kidney transplants; 61 of these were from living donors.

The Jewish Hospital is home to the Tristate's only adult blood and b one marrow transplant program. Blood and bone marrow transplants can help patients diagnosed with leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma and other blood cancers, testicular cancers and some immune diseases.

The Health Alliance is an integrated health care delivery system that includes The Christ Hospital, The University Hospital, The St. Luke Hospitals, The Jewish Hospital, The Fort Hamilton Hospital and the physicians of Alliance Primary Care. To view other Health Alliance news releases, go to www.health-alliance.com/pressroom