The UNOS Professional Services department strives to enhance organ availability on a national level through communication and education of health care professionals. Coordinators within the department work directly with national health care organizations whose members are doctors, nurses, organ procurement and transplant coordinators, social workers, clergy members and others on issues such as:

• understanding and overcoming the barriers to donation
• implementation of standard protocols for donor management
• helping grieving families make the life-giving decision about organ donation
• promoting organ donation in minority communities

The role of Professional Services also includes:

• conducting original workshops on donation topics
• conducting research on donation-related issues
• developing educational materials about donation, transplantation and brain death
• exhibiting and distributing educational materials at national meetings of health care professionals
• speaking at national and international meetings
• publishing a quarterly newsletter to keep professionals aware of the activities and information that the Professional Services team offers
• publishing in peer reviewed professional journals and books