(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – The Pottawattamie County Medical Examiner’s Office is celebrating the distinction of being named Iowa Donor Network’s 2023 LEGACI Award Winner for Innovation. LEGACI Awards are given to Iowa Donor Network’s (IDN) partner agencies and/or their dedicated team members for going above and beyond to collaborate with IDN on meeting its mission of “Working Together to Transform Lives through Organ and Tissue Donation”.

There are six categories under the LEGACI Awards: Leadership, Education, Gratitude, Advocacy, Clinical Excellence, and Innovation. The award for Innovation is given to individuals and/or partner agencies who seek new ways to educate and promote donation, develop, and implement breakthrough best practices, and promote the use of technology to establish/ improve the donation process. “Our team is extremely appreciative of this recognition,” said Pottawattamie County Medical Examiner Dr. Christopher Elliott. “We’re advocates of organ and tissue donation and it’s rewarding to be recognized for promoting an initiative we strongly believe in.”

The Pottawattamie County Medical Examiner’s Office was nominated for its support in piloting technology known as iReferral. iReferral uses an electronic portal in lieu of a phone call to share information with Iowa Donor Network. The Office’s assistance in piloting the program helped Iowa Donor Network learn how other Medical Examiner offices, as well as EMS agencies, might utilize the program to increase the number of patients and families in Iowa who may be offered the opportunity of donation. In 2022, the Pottawattamie County Medical Examiner’s Office made 117 referral calls to Iowa Donor Network, resulting in five donors who went on to give the life saving and life enhancing gifts of tissue. One tissue donor can impact between 50 to 300 individuals.

Photo: Front row from left: PCMEO Investigator Felica Luczek, PCMEO Investigator Kalen Knight, PCMEO Investigator Abby Robinson, PCMEO Chief Investigator/Coordinator Cheri Dahlheim, IDN Partner Relations Coordinator Madelyn Clark, PCMEO Medical Examiner Dr. Christopher Elliott. Second row from left: Board of Supervisors, Tim Wichman, Scott Belt, Brian Shea, Susan Miller, Jeff Jorgensen. (Courtesy Craig Carlsen, Pott. Co. Public Relations)

“Donation is a collaborative effort, and Iowa Donor Network is grateful to the entire Pottawattamie County Medical Examiner team for all they do to promote donation in their community,” said Iowa Donor Network Partner Relations Coordinator Madelyn Clark.

About Iowa Donor Network: Iowa Donor Network (IDN) is a non-profit organization that operates as the primary contact for organ, tissue and eye donation services for the state of Iowa. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have certified IDN to function as the single organ procurement agency in the state. IDN also serves as the tissue recovery agency for the state. To learn more, visit iowadonornetwork.org.

About Pottawattamie County: The purpose of Pottawattamie County government is to provide the highest quality government possible to the citizens of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and other governmental entities in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible. It is also to encourage economic development, enhance our tax base and provide higher quality jobs for our citizens. For more information, visit PottCounty-ia.gov.