Policy 4.4, implemented a year ago on January 10, 2011, requires all OPOs and transplant programs to have a process in place for receiving potential donor-derived disease transmission notifications and other related communications from the OPTN. In order to make this contact information readily available to members, while still protecting it within the confines of Secure EnterpriseSM, the Patient Safety Contact list is now available to all OPTN members with log in and password credentials to the site.
You can now access the full Patient Safety Contact list within the Improving Patient Safety portal where members report potential disease transmissions, living donor adverse events and other patient safety-related events to the OPTN. UNOS released an implementation notice on December 21, 2011, when the Patient Safety Contact list was first posted on Secure EnterpriseSM. The contact list will be updated weekly as needed.
We are very close to 100% submission, but still have not heard from a handful of members. Please take a few moments to review the list to make sure that your OPO or transplant center has submitted a plan, and that the plan is still up to date.
It is important that accurate information is available. While much of the information shared will involve final cultures results and other routine donor updates, it is critical that transplant programs and OPO know the most direct (and desired) route to share information related to patient safety events. Please make every effort to keep your institution’s contact information up-to-date.
Submit any changes or updates as soon as possible to the Patient Safety Contact list: [email protected]. We will post updates each Wednesday, so please submit any changes by noon ET on Tuesdays.
Related policy language:
4.4 PATIENT SAFETY CONTACT. Each Host OPO and Transplant Program must develop a process for identifying a patient safety contact and follow this process for receiving potential disease transmission notifications and any related communication with the OPTN. The patient safety contact must be available 24 hours a day, and is responsible for:
- Receiving pertinent medical information that may affect or change recipient care
- Communicating information to the appropriate medical professional responsible for clinical care of the recipient(s) at the transplant program as soon as possible, and not to exceed 24 hours
- Facilitating communication about the current clinical status of any recipient for whom the center is informed of a concern for a possible or proven disease transmission related to the donor.
Transplant programs and OPOs must make this information available to the OPTN contractor if requested.
