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Partnering with experts in fields outside of donation and transplant

Innovation

Partnering with experts in fields outside of donation and transplant

Global leaders in advanced analytical methodologies lend support to build continuous distribution policies and improve the system

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Our partners

Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

James Dolan, M.D.

Research Triangle Institute

Decision Lens

 

In addition to working with experts in transplant, including the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR), the OPTN Lung Transplantation Committee has reached out to leading experts in other fields across the country and around the world to help build the continuous distribution framework.

“Every time we talk with them, they say that they feel honored to be able to help on such an important mission.”

James Alcorn, UNOS senior policy strategist

“There’s so much collegiality not only within the transplant community, but with the experts we’re working with in other fields,” says Alcorn. “Every time we talk with them, they say that they feel honored to be able to help on such an important mission.”

Partners have included Dimitris Bertsimas, Ph.D., and his Operations Research Center team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who played a key role helping the committee explore the use of mathematical optimization in designing the points-based lung allocation policy.

James Dolan, M.D., a retired internal medicine specialist and associate professor of health sciences at University of Rochester School of Medicine who is also a multi-criteria decision making expert was also particularly helpful as the committee considered ways to incorporate AHP into policy development.

Other partners have included the global non-profit Research Triangle Institute (RTI) and cloud-based advanced analytics consultancy Decision Lens who conducted the AHP.

“One of the big takeaways here,” says Stewart, “is that UNOS is using analytical methodologies and leaning on experts with proven track records outside of transplantation to help us improve the transplant system.”

Learn more

The OPTN plans to transition all organ systems to the continuous distribution framework, but the lung community will be the first. Learn more about how it works, the timeline for implementation, and how it will create a more fair and flexible system for all organs.

Our partners

Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients

Nikos Trichakis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

James Dolan, M.D.

Research Triangle Institute

Decision Lens

 

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Getting the right organ to the right patient at the right time

Learn more about how patients will benefit from the new continuous distribution framework

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“By moving to the continuous distribution system, patients are going to benefit. We’re going to transplant patients in need more quickly by removing those hard boundaries that today sometimes prevent them from getting an organ.”

James Alcorn

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