5 ways to improve the U.S. organ donation and transplant system

Overview

During a time of unprecedented challenges for the U.S. health care system, the American organ donation and transplant community has continued to save lives. More than 41,350 transplants were performed in the U.S. in 2021, an increase of nearly 2,300 over the previous year. The challenges have been many: diversion of transplant staff to care for COVID-19 patients, inconsistent availability of personal protective equipment, limited coronavirus testing availability, inability to transplant organs from potential donors who tested positive for COVID-19, and various logistical obstacles across the nation. Even in the midst of a pandemic, United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), organ procurement organizations (OPOs) and transplant hospitals have maintained one of the world’s best organ donation and transplant systems.

The system’s success reflects its commitment to continuous improvement, which has driven 9 consecutive years of increases in the number of deceased-donor transplants performed. Thanks to the efforts of the national transplant network, 22% more deceased-donor transplants are performed today than five years ago.

But there is more work to do. More than 100,000 people are waiting for a transplant. Every day, they count on the organ donation and transplant community to do everything it can to strengthen the system and ensure that patients have equitable access to lifesaving organs.

At UNOS, we are working alongside other members of the U.S. transplant system—including OPOs, donor hospitals, and transplant hospitals—and the federal government to advance our shared goal of affirmative reforms and promote an ongoing increase in organ donation and transplants in the U.S.

To that end, we have proposed a five-part package of reforms. Some are within UNOS’ authority as the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), while others must be led by federal agencies. These reforms would build upon our success as one of the leading systems in the world and save even more lives than ever before.

1. Automate real-time donor referral
2. Establish better metrics for OPOs and transplant centers
3. Improve the process of getting the right organ to the right patient at the right time
4. Remove disincentives to using older and more complex donors when appropriate
5. Enable organ procurement organizations to merge or share services

Originally published on Sept. 15, 2020; updates made Dec. 5, 2020, Jan. 12 and 27, 2021, Jan. 11, 2022.