Voices in Transplant

Pushing boundaries to improve organ utilization efficiency

Nearly 20 percent of kidneys recovered from deceased donors are not transplanted, while approximately 13 end-stage renal disease patients die each day awaiting a transplant in the U.S., according to data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.

In November Andrew Placona, United Network for Organ Sharing’s first data science manager, published an article in the American Journal of Transplantation that proves the concept that an innovative natural language processing model could improve upon existing predictive organ utilization models. “Given that kidney utilization is a concern to our community, we gambled on the possibility that the free text data contained in deceased donor registration forms could help us understand the kidney utilization issue in ways that had not previously been characterized,” he said. “We found that these data have potential value.”

Read more about this innovative approach to improving the nationwide kidney utilization rate.

Jan. 17, 2020

Organ donation again sets record in 2019

Nearly 11,900 people provided the lifesaving gift of organ donation upon their death last year, making 2019 the ninth consecutive record-setting year for deceased donation in the United States and representing an increase of 10.7 percent over 2018, according to preliminary data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. Organ transplants from living donors also established a new all-time record in 2019, with 7,397 total living donor transplants far exceeding the previous record of 6,992 set in 2004. “A key to continuing to improve the transplant system is to develop new data tools, technology innovations and process enhancements so donation and transplant professionals can make efficient decisions,” said United Network for Organ Sharing CEO Brian Shepard. “We are partnering with experts inside and outside the transplant community to use new tools and ideas to save more lives.”

Read more about the widespread increase in organ donation in 2019.

Jan. 10, 2020

Efficient organ allocation

Information technology professionals at United Network for Organ Sharing work with organ allocation and transplant community members around the country to develop the technological platforms that match organs and save lives every day. “Within the last two years I’ve seen the UNOS team at work on electronic notification algorithms, APIs to help with seamless data exchange for image sharing, organ offer filters and mobile applications, to name a few,” said Walter Herczyk, who is the director of laboratory services at Gift of Life Michigan — Michigan’s only federally designated organ and tissue recovery program. “All of this work helps to improve and make organ allocation as efficient of a process as possible,” he said.

Read more from Herczyk about how he has seen UNOS’ IT departments evolve over the years to improve the technology development process and deliver innovative solutions to the organ donation and transplant community.

Dec. 19, 2019

Transforming policy into algorithms: A message from UNOS CTO Alex Tulchinsky

United Network for Organ Sharing works as the convener of the organ allocation and transplantation community, translating policy decisions made by transplant professionals into technology platforms that save lives. “Our job is to take the policies and convert them from English into computer algorithms,” said Chief Technology Officer Alex Tulchinsky. “By integrating policy development with the way IT works and by infusing technological practical approaches to how policy is being worded we are able to offer options to the committees to help them determine ways for an expeditious implementation.”

Hear from Tulchinsky about how UNOS’ Information Technology Department collaborates with the transplant community to swiftly create technological platforms that saves lives.

Nov. 27, 2019

New liver distribution policy: “We must do better for our children.”

Pediatric transplant surgeon George V. Mazariegos, M.D., dedicated his career to saving the lives of critically ill children through the gift of organ transplantation. In an op-ed published in The Hill in August, Mazariegos implores lawmakers to consider the lives of young people who would benefit from the new liver distribution policy that was passed by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Board of Directors in December 2018. “All deceased donor pediatric livers will be offered to children first before being offered to less critically ill adults,” said Mazariegos, who serves as chair of the OPTN’s Pediatric Transplantation Committee. “This is a life-saving, game-changer for children waiting for a liver transplant.”

Read more from Mazariegos.

Aug. 8, 2019

Improving our technology infrastructure: A message from UNOS CEO Brian Shepard

United Network for Organ Sharing CEO Brian Shepard responds to the Department of Health and Human Services’ announcement that it will issue a request for information. The RFI will ask for ideas and information about how to improve the national information technology system for matching transplantable organs and managing detailed, confidential medical data on transplant patients and organ donors. “We are glad to have national attention devoted to how our system can further improve,” Shepard said. “We’re also glad to share our experience and expertise in managing the vital, complex and rapidly evolving technology needs of the community we serve.”

Read more from CEO Brian Shepard.

Nov 8, 2019

Creating the first national donor image sharing hub: “I was amazed when I saw the images.”

A medical image sharing pilot project underway now at United Network for Organ Sharing may soon give organ procurement organizations, and donor and transplant hospitals, universal access to high-quality medical imaging studies during the organ offer process. Daniel Jacoby, M.D., who is the director of the Comprehensive Heart Failure Program at Yale School of Medicine, was one of the first physicians to interact with the system. “I was amazed when I saw the images,” he said. “They look like you’re looking directly at an echo screen. This is a step forward for our patients.”

Read more on the pilot project that offers quick access to high-quality medical images.

Feb 5, 2019

When every minute matters: “We measure just about everything we do.”

Roger Brown directs the United Network for Organ Sharing Organ Center, which has been in continous operation 24/7 for more than 35 years. “We measure just about everything we do,” he said. “How much we do. How fast we do it. How accurate that work is and is that work meeting the needs of the community?” In this series of videos, Brown and the Organ Center team discuss how they work with the donation and transplant community to meet the daily challenge of matching organs and saving lives.

Learn how Organ Center staff are trained and hear what motivates them. 

Aug 30, 2019

Better offer screening: “We want programs to understand what their practice is and to refine it.”

Some transplant programs field many thousands of offers in a year, but might accept only a few hundred for their patients. In June, United Network for Organ Sharing launched the first phase of a pilot project to develop an innovative tool that will help change that by altering how offers are filtered. The project is testing ways to avoid unwanted offers, accelerate organ allocation and transplant more organs. The goal? Increase kidney utilization by helping organ procurement organizations find an accepting candidate more quickly. “We want programs to understand what their practice is and to refine it — so organs are directed to centers that will take them, faster,” said UNOS business architect Rob McTier.

Read more about the pilot project that is testing ways to avoid unwanted offers, accelerate organ allocation and transplant more organs.

Jun 28, 2019

New England Donor Services president and CEO Alexandra K. Glazier shares success strategies

“The work of organ donation improvement is hard work. It is roll-up-your sleeves, boots-on-the-ground work, finding specific operational strategies that collectively make incremental change. There is no easy fix or a single solution — those of us in the OPO trenches know that, but many in the broader community may not.”

Read more about Glazier’s strategies for success.

Apr 30, 2019