By organ
By program
UNet
Policy
Patient safety
Improvement
Learn
Perspectives
COVID
All
Top stories
UNOS statement on testing environment situation
UNOS is currently investigating a configuration error that may have permitted access by authorized users to some patients’ personal and health information.
UNOS statement following December UNOS Board vote
The new UNOS Board of Directors will go into effect on March 30, 2024, the day after UNOS’ OPTN contract with the federal government ends.
Celebrating the Greatest Gift this holiday season
Join UNOS, Donate Life America, donor families and transplant recipients from around the world to honor those who have given life.
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Kidney – Pancreas
National collaborative focusing on organ offer acceptance to launch at the end of January 2023
More than 80 transplant programs are participating in the project; a virtual option for the in-person kickoff event is available to the entire community.
Pre-implementation notice: KPD policy updates
The changes are intended to improve the efficiency of the OPTN Kidney Paired Donation Pilot Program (KPDPP), improve clarity around the living donation process and update informed consent for participants in all KPD programs.
Implementation notice: Waiting time modifications for candidates affected by race-inclusive eGFR calculations
Programs must complete the process and provide the necessary documentation to the OPTN by Jan. 3, 2024.
Liver – Intestine
Two-year monitoring report summarizes National Liver Review Board activity
Report covers activity since the implementation of the acuity circles liver allocation policy.
Education now available: Updates to living donor exclusion criteria
Professional education on this policy change is now available in UNOS Connect. These policy changes take effect July 26.
OPTN Board approves improvements to medical urgency scoring of liver transplant candidates
The actions will increase the equity of access to liver transplant, and were among a number of additional measures adopted by the board.
Heart – Lung
Safety net policies for kidney-after-heart and kidney-after-lung allocation in effect June 29
Candidates who meet criteria will get additional kidney allocation priority.
Pediatric Status 1A and 1B heart and heart-lung candidates may have expanded access to intended incompatible blood type offers
On March 16, 2023, the OPTN Executive Committee approved immediate implementation of a key portion of. the recently proposed policy to expand eligibility criteria.
New lung allocation policy in effect
First organ type to use continuous distribution framework.
VCA
UNOS recruiting members for new OPTN VCA committee
If you are interested in serving or know someone who would be, contact your regional administrator.
Comment Sought on Proposed Rule Regarding Vascularized Composite Allografts
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has issued a proposed rule to include vascularized composite allografts (VCA) within the definition of organs under the authority of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN).
Improving the system together
Stronger together: A collaborative study between U.S. and U.K. researchers
A collaborative study between U.S. and U.K. researchers reveals shared learning opportunities that could spur increased kidney utilization rates.
Using behavioral research to test and improve transplant decision making
UNOS researchers used simulated organ offers to test the effect of biopsies on kidney offers and published the results in the inaugural issue of Kidney360.
Then and now: Living donor liver transplantation
See how living donor liver transplantation has changed over time and what helps clinicians improve
UNet
Member actions required: data collection and VCA implementation
Patient care will not be impacted during this time.
Coming soon: changes to liver-kidney nautical mile threshold
The simultaneous liver-kidney (SLK) allocation required share will change from 250 nautical miles to 500 nautical miles for eligible adult candidates.
Coming soon: Simultaneous heart-kidney and lung-kidney allocation changes
Once the policy goes into effect, OPOs must offer required shares that are displayed on the match run.
“… policy is the living, breathing expression of group values.”
Martha Pavlakis, M.D. on new policies that put patients first
Policy changes
OPTN data collection changes coming Sept. 14
On Sept. 14, multiple updates will be made to UNet to implement approved OPTN Policy changes that affect OPTN data collection.
Pediatric Status 1A and 1B heart and heart-lung candidates may have expanded access to intended incompatible blood type offers
On March 16, 2023, the OPTN Executive Committee approved immediate implementation of a key portion of. the recently proposed policy to expand eligibility criteria.
New lung allocation policy in effect
First organ type to use continuous distribution framework.
Policy monitoring
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Learn: Collaborative improvement and educational resources
IN FOCUS
Kidney monitoring data shows 16% increase in transplant
Aimed at increasing equity, a report on new allocation policy shows increases in transplant among key populations.
Collaboration
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Education
Education now available: Updates to living donor exclusion criteria
Professional education on this policy change is now available in UNOS Connect. These policy changes take effect July 26.
Playlists added to UNOS Connect
This new enhancement makes keeping up to date on essential education easier than ever.
Effective practices
Learn about collaborative improvement projects
Learn about issues impacting patients, donors, donor families, and the national system. Issues and advocacy
Perspectives
“Can do, passion and caring”: OPO CEO Jeff Orlowski on embracing change during COVID-19
“Protecting both staff and our mission have driven us from the very beginning.”
Bridging the gap
With support from a $100,000 grant from the Mendez National Institute of Transplantation Foundation, researchers are partnering to address the gap in scientific knowledge about the association between kidney biopsy results and transplant survival outcomes.
Why I volunteer: Pete Lalli, Ph.D., Carolinas Medical Center
Community members unite and strengthen the donation and transplantation community to help get the right organs to the right patients at the right time.
Leadership news
In Memoriam: Jeremiah Turcotte, M.D.
UNOS honors the leadership and service of Jeremiah Turcotte, M.D., who passed away Feb. 12, 2020.
In Memoriam: Oscar Salvatierra, M.D.
UNOS honors the life and leadership of Oscar Salvatierra, Jr., M.D., who played a pivotal role in the development of organ transplantation, both in the United States and internationally.
In Memoriam – Gene A. Pierce
United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) honors the life and legacy of Gene Pierce, UNOS’ founder and original executive director.
“The dozens of topics presented at TMF shared one thing—our community’s dedication to doing everything we can to constantly improve the system and better serve the patients who rely on us.”
Patient safety
Recall notice affects IV solutions
ICU Medical Inc. has issued a voluntary recall for four specified lots of intravenous sodium chloride solutions and one specified lot of intravenous dextrose solution due to the potential for flexible container leaks.
Keep patient safety contact info current
You now have self-serve access through the Secure Enterprise homepage to update your institution’s patient safety contact information. Please take a moment to review your contact listing and update any out-of-date information.
Access UNOS Resources during Patient Safety Awareness Week
Our patient safety series includes topics related to extra vessels handling and storage, proactively averting errors, ABO verification in the OR, hemodilution errors and more.
Transplant hospital
UNet user audit begins June 12
Starting June 12, site security administrators will have four weeks to conduct a required audit of their UNet users. It must be completed by July 10.
Reminder: Patient status options for TRF forms
Reminder of Patient Status options available to members. Please continue to complete TRF forms as they are assigned with the appropriate patient status.
New store for OPTN transport labels
The OPTN transport label distributor has changed. Users will need to create a new account when logging in for the first time.
OPO
Infinite Legacy established after OPO merger
The merger brings a combined 79 years of institutional experience together as one organization, serving almost 10 million people across northern Virginia, Washington, D.C. and all of Maryland.
Lung Composite Allocation Score (CAS) calculator coming February 2023
The lung Composite Allocation Score (CAS) calculator will be available on the OPTN website beginning Feb. 2, 2023.
7 years of HOPE
Implemented in 2015 , the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act has given more than 350 living with HIV an opportunity to receive a lifesaving transplant from an HIV-positive donor.
Histocompatibility
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Stories and tributes
Each person touched by organ donation transplant has a unique story. Threads of hope connect them. Find videos, stories and tributes