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Black kidney candidates are receiving waiting time modifications, helping them get the organs they need
Latest kidney monitoring report shows two new kidney polices are working as intended
Honoring the gift of life: Ceremony marks the National Donor Memorial 20th anniversary
The National Donor Memorial inspires us “to reflect on what it means to be an organ, eye or tissue donor.”
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Kidney – Pancreas
Second round of simulated modeling results for continuous distribution of kidney and pancreas now available
Modeling results estimate the benefit of new proposals and inform committees of any needed improvements.
Two-year monitoring report available for pancreas allocation policies
Report captures two-year data post implementation of 250 nautical mile circles.
Now in effect: Simultaneous heart-kidney and lung-kidney allocation changes
New policies require candidates to meet medical eligibility criteria to be eligible for a required kidney share on the heart or lung match.
Liver – Intestine
A decade of record increases in liver transplant
10,660 liver transplants, the most ever in a year.
Animated videos describe MELD, PELD formulas
Resource especially designed to inform transplant patients and their caregivers.
Now in effect: Changes to liver-kidney nautical mile threshold
The required share threshold for simultaneous liver-kidney (SLK) allocation has expanded from 250 nautical miles to 500 nautical miles for eligible adult candidates (e.g., Status 1A or MELD of 29 or greater).
Heart – Lung
Offer Filters for liver and heart now available
Offer Filters adds data-driven, multi-criteria filters to organ offers at a program level.
Coming soon: Offer Filters for liver and heart allocation
The Offer Filters tool will become available for heart and liver transplant programs in UNet on June 13.
Offer Filters now available for lung allocation
Offer Filters adds data-driven, multi-criteria filters to organ offers at a program level so lung transplant programs can filter offers they will not accept and organ procurement organizations (OPOs) can find an accepting candidate more quickly.
VCA
Three new VCA programs replace GU program
Three new programs have replaced the Vascularized Composite Allograft (VCA) – genitourinary organ (GU) program
Three new VCA programs to replace GU program
Three new programs will replace the Vascularized Composite Allograft (VCA) – genitourinary organ (GU) program
UNet is online: VCA and data collection projects released
Allocation of 10 Vascularized Composite Allograft (VCA) organs has been added to UNet, along with extensive changes to existing data collection forms across organs.
Improving the system together
Predicting the future to help patients today
New tool offers never-before-seen insights on the impact that accepting or declining an organ offer could have on a patient.
OPO partners with Black history museum to increase organ donor registrations
Kia Potts tells us how LifeNet Health and a Richmond-area cultural institution worked together to change lingering misconceptions about organ donation.
What are the barriers to wider use of organ perfusion?
Q&A: David Klassen, M.D., on the promise, and challenges to wider use, of normothermic perfusion.
UNet
Coming soon: Offer Filters for liver and heart allocation
The Offer Filters tool will become available for heart and liver transplant programs in UNet on June 13.
CPRA >98% form for highly sensitized candidates removed
All candidates with a CPRA above 98% continue to be prioritized on the match appropriately.
Coming soon: Change to the Organ Offer Acceptance Limit
The number of offers a transplant hospital may accept per transplant candidate will be reduced from two to one on May 29, 2024. This change applies to all organ types except for pancreas islets.
“… policy is the living, breathing expression of group values.”
Martha Pavlakis, M.D. on new policies that put patients first
Policy changes
Coming soon: Change to the Organ Offer Acceptance Limit
The number of offers a transplant hospital may accept per transplant candidate will be reduced from two to one on May 29, 2024. This change applies to all organ types except for pancreas islets.
Extra Vessels included in TIEDI® for VCA
TIEDI® permissions for Vessels Reporting have been added to all 10 VCA organs within Security Administration. These permissions allow designated users either full access or read only access, similar to existing permissions for non-VCA organs. Ensure permissions established before March 6, 2024.
Pre-implementation notice: New pre-transplant performance metric
A new risk-adjusted performance monitoring metric-the pre-transplant mortality rate ratio- will take effect in July 2024.
Policy monitoring
Early lung monitoring report shows increase in transplants following implementation of lung continuous distribution
Report captures three-months of data post implementation of lung continuous distribution.
Two-year monitoring report available for pancreas allocation policies
Report captures two-year data post implementation of 250 nautical mile circles.
Four-year monitoring report for adult heart allocation now available
Latest report shows key measures of adult heart allocation following policy changes implemented in October 2018.
Learn: Collaborative improvement and educational resources
IN FOCUS
Black kidney candidates are receiving waiting time modifications, helping them get the organs they need
Latest kidney monitoring report shows two new kidney polices are working as intended
Collaboration
Public comment now open through March 15
The winter 2023 public comment cycle opened Jan. 19 and closes March 15.
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.
UNOS using a collaborative improvement model to increase DCD lung transplantation
29 lung transplant programs are participating in the project.
Education
TMF 2024 presenter Jennifer Milton, MBA, BSN, on the OPTN Expeditious Task Force
"Remember to find and celebrate the joy in your work—celebrate the amazing miracle your team creates for others!" Jennifer Milton, MBA, BSN Tell us about your background. While my journey in this field began in 1993 as an organ procurement coordinator, I've spent most...
TMF 2024 presenter Andrea Tietjen, MBA, CPA, on transplant financing
"I have been attending TMF since 2000 and have learned all that I know from attendees and presenters. Transplantation and procurement are dynamic fields, and being in-the-know and learning from others is an invaluable resource. Our learnings have helped us to help our...
Effective practices
Learn about collaborative improvement projects
Learn about issues impacting patients, donors, donor families, and the national system. Issues and advocacy
Perspectives
Driving toward optimal equity: Vincent Casingal, M.D.
Transplant surgeon on the success of the new kidney allocation policy.
Transplant innovations for today and tomorrow: David Klassen, M.D.
UNOS chief medical officer on the innovations making a difference in transplant.
Transplant equity work never ends: Jerry McCauley, M.D.
UNOS president-elect shares his perspective on transplant equity and the work still to be done.
Leadership news
UNOS plan reimagines governance of U.S. transplant system to best serve patients
Roadmap outlines how to create an independent OPTN Board in a move endorsed by Congress
In Memoriam – Isabel Stenzel Byrnes
UNOS celebrates the life of Isabel Stenzel Byrnes, a lung recipient who, with her twin sister Anabel, became a voice for patients and a passionate advocate for donation and transplant. Isabel and Anabel were both born with cystic fibrosis in 1972. Not expected to live...
U.S. House of Representatives calls on FAA to improve air transport of donor organs
Vote calls for a work group to consider whether organs transported via commercial flight could once again travel safely in a plane’s cabin
“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
Implementation notice: Required reporting of certain patient safety events now in effect
A new policy is now in effect that requires members to report certain patient safety events within 72 hours of becoming aware of the event.
Pre-implementation notice: Required reporting of patient safety events coming
Effective Jan., 10, 2024, OPTN Policy 18.5, will be updated to require members to report certain patient safety events within 72 hours of becoming aware of the event.
Public Comment open from July 27 through Sept. 19, 2023
The OPTN is offering 14 items for review.
Transplant hospital
Pre-implementation notice: New pre-transplant performance metric
A new risk-adjusted performance monitoring metric-the pre-transplant mortality rate ratio- will take effect in July 2024.
Two guidance documents updated
Resources address VCA donation, geographically endemic infections
OPTN Board approves improvements to reporting of potential patient safety events
Process for reporting enhanced, clarified.
OPO
Two guidance documents updated
Resources address VCA donation, geographically endemic infections
OPTN Board approves improvements to reporting of potential patient safety events
Process for reporting enhanced, clarified.
Implementation notice: Required reporting of certain patient safety events now in effect
A new policy is now in effect that requires members to report certain patient safety events within 72 hours of becoming aware of the event.
Histocompatibility
UNOS researchers present studies at 2023 American Transplant Congress
Twenty-two UNOS staff members presented research from 42 studies at the 2023 American Transplant Congress, addressing topics including social determinants of health, offer-acceptance practices, and the impacts of allocation-policy changes.
Now in effect: Changes to security personnel requirements and reporting
These changes were approved by the OPTN Board of Directors at their June 26, 2023 meeting.
Public Comment open from July 27 through Sept. 19, 2023
The OPTN is offering 14 items for review.
Stories and tributes
Each person touched by organ donation transplant has a unique story. Threads of hope connect them. Find videos, stories and tributes