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UNOS CEO Urges Congressional Action on Lifesaving Reforms
Proposes critical ways to strengthen the nation’s transplant system
UNOS and Donate Life America invite you to honor donors
Join National Tree of Life live stream December 16
UNOS continuously strengthens the security of the OPTN IT system
Cybersecurity protections for OPTN IT system
UNOS applauds passage of FAA reauthorization bill
Workgroup to review organs transported via commercial flights
UNOS statement on OPTN requests for proposals
UNOS CEO statement on the OPTN request for proposals issued on May 2, 2024
UNOS unveils new artwork honoring organ donors and recipients
The mural by acclaimed artist Hamilton Glass recognizes the far-reaching impact of organ donation and pays tribute to organ donors
Virginia General Assembly commends UNOS
A commending resolution honors UNOS’ 40th anniversary and the contributions it’s made to the organ donation and transplant system
UNOS adds leading U.S. technology expert to executive leadership team
UNOS named Ankit Mathur its new chief technology officer.
UNOS and HRSA agree on new short-term OPTN contract
Contract goes into effect March 30, 2024, the day after the current contract concludes
UNOS welcomes new seven-member board of directors
New seven-person UNOS Board will be independent of OPTN Board March 30
UNOS applauds president’s FY2025 budget request
Statement applauding President Biden’s budget proposal which includes $67 million to fund HRSA’s OPTN Modernization Initiative
UNOS expands leadership team
Tina Rhoades promoted to director of patient and member relations
UNOS statement on member vote for board independence
Statement about member vote to ratify the UNOS Board of Directors’ vote for board independence
UNOS statement regarding Medicare billing guidance for organ transplant monitoring tests
UNOS statement regarding the Medicare billing guidance on molecular testing for solid organ allograft rejection
UNOS statement on draft OPTN request for proposals
UNOS CEO statement on the draft OPTN request for proposals issued on February 6, 2024
New task force sets bold goal of achieving 60K transplants by 2026
The OPTN Expeditious Task Force embarks on ambitious project to save more lives, increase efficiency.
UNOS strengthens leadership team
Several new leaders will play integral roles in advancing UNOS’ mission to strengthen the organ donation and transplant system.
Innovations and policy updates drive equity and a record number of lifesaving organ transplants in 2023
Another record year for organ transplants, with 46,632 transplants performed in 2023 thanks to the selfless and generous gifts from donors.
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
When minutes matter: The issues at stake in organ transportation
A look at the intersecting challenges in organ transportation and a call for government and industry leaders to join the donation and transplant community in finding national-level solutions that ensure donor organs get safely to patients in need.
Overcoming the financial obstacles to living donation
The National Living Donor Assistance Center is available to help living donors cover travel expenses, lost wages and other costs.
Capital Pride: WRTC on being meaningful community advocates all year round
D.C. OPO’s LGBTQIA+ advocacy work increases organ donation.
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.
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
UNOS launching new member focused improvement initiative in 2022
Customized individual improvement projects will help OPTN members meet specific goals.
Increasing utilization of moderate-to-high KDPI kidneys
Participating kidney programs performed an increased number of 51-100 percent KDPI transplants while maintaining one-year graft survival rates.
UNOS launches new pediatric liver collaborative; OPTN launches new improvement website
“All teach, all share, all learn”: members collaborate to increase utilization and share effective practices.
Education
TMF 2025 presenters Geatrakas and Socci on Creating a Healthy Relationship between transplant staff and the C-Suite
"Building strong relationships with the C-suite isn’t a one-time ask; it’s an ongoing partnership that drives success and ultimately benefits the patients we serve.” Sara Geatrakas, MSN, RN, Business & Operations Manager and Clare Socci, BSN, RN, Director, Organ...
TMF 2025 speaker Cathi Murphey on Kidney Paired Donation
Learn more from Murphey at the 2025 Transplant Management Forum in San Antonio, TX.
Effective practices
Learn about collaborative improvement projects
Learn about issues impacting patients, donors, donor families, and the national system. Issues and advocacy
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.