Updated March 1, 2023: The lung allocation system based on continuous distribution was originally scheduled to take effect on March 2, 2023. The lung continuous distribution policy is now expected to implement on March 9, 2023. This system notice has been updated to reflect the change in expected implementation date.
Audience
- All heart, heart-lung, lung transplant programs:
- Physician Assistants, Physicians-Other, Program – Clinical Coordinators, Program Administrators/Managers, Program Directors, Programs Chiefs, Surgeons, Data Coordinators, Quality Coordinators, Quality Directors/Managers, Primary Data Coordinators, Primary Physicians, Primary Program Administrators, Primary Surgeons
- OPTN Heart Transplantation Committee
- OPTN Lung Transplantation Committee
Updated implementation date
March 9, 2023
At-a-glance
Effective March 9, thoracic donor acceptance criteria for candidates will no longer require separate data to be specified for both local and import donors. These fields will be simplified to a single field for donor acceptance criteria for heart, heart-lung and lung candidate listings. This change will take effect along with continuous distribution of lungs on March 9 and is in preparation for when heart moves to continuous distribution at a later date.
What you need to do
Review the local donor age, height, weight, and DCD status acceptance criteria for your lung, heart and heart-lung candidates on the waiting list. Effective March 9, all matches will use the acceptance criteria you currently have specified for local donors. Following implementation, you will only need to specify acceptance criteria once for each donor acceptance criterion.
Education and resources
Help documentation will be updated in WaitlistSM along with this release.
Questions?
If you have questions relating to implementation, contact UNOS Customer Service at [email protected], or call 800-978-4334 from 8 am to 7 pm EST.
For policy-related questions, contact [email protected].
The Organ Center is available 24 hours a day at 800-292-9537.
