Gauging social media effectiveness in finding living donors

In September 2019, members of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Living Donor Committee asked directors and administrators at transplant programs across the country to assess their experiences with using social media campaigns in determining potential living donors (PLDs) for transplant candidates. United Network for Organ Sharing research analyst Sarah Booker presented findings from the collaborative effort at the 2020 American Transplant Congress virtual poster session on May 30.

The questionnaire sought input on social media education and resources; patient challenges; program concerns, challenges and best practices, and handling a sudden increase of PLDs.

The committee received 174 responses, mostly from kidney programs. Of those, 125 respondents indicated their program provides patient education on using social media to find a PLD.

Other findings include:

153 respondents indicated their programs track referral source information

• 97 reported referrals from social network sites.
• 60 reported an increase in the number of social media referrals in the past year.
• 35 said their program has a special protocol for PLDs referred by social media.

113 respondents indicated that patients had challenges, most commonly limited access to and knowledge of social media.

89 respondents said their program was mostly or very prepared to respond to a sudden influx of PLDs for a single recipient.

Please click the link to learn more about guidance for transplant hospitals on use of social media to find living donors.

Read the abstract

Booker SE, King L, Spiers J, Hunt H, Schaffer RL. Transplant Center Experiences with Social Media Campaigns for Living Donation [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2020; 20 (suppl 3).