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UNOS applauds introduction of the Organ Donation Referral Improvement Act
UNOS thanks U.S. Reps. for important bipartisan legislation
UNOS applauds House action to prohibit discrimination in organ transplants
UNOS CEO thanks House, urges Senate action
UNOS responds to House subcommittee hearing
UNOS responds to House subcommittee hearing held Sept. 11, 2024.
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.
UNOS commissions independent assessment of IT systems
UNOS recently received the results of a comprehensive assessment it commissioned as a part of its ongoing efforts to drive improvement and emphasize transparency.
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
UNOS applauds house action to improve air transport of donor organs
Floor vote establishes a work group to review whether organs transported via commercial flight could once again travel safely in a plane’s cabin
UNOS embraces reform of the U.S. donation and transplant system
Ahead of today’s U.S. Senate Committee on Finance hearing on the nation’s organ donation and transplant system, United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) reiterates its commitment to modernizing and reforming the nation’s organ donation and transplant system and working with Congress to achieve measurable results for patients.
New policy aims to speed kidney acceptance rates, increase transplants
The OPTN Board of Directors unanimously approved a new policy that will help more patients receive a lifesaving kidney transplant by getting the right organ to the right patient faster.
New UNOS board officers begin service July 1
UNOS welcomes 19 new members to its 42-member Board of Directors, who will begin their term on July 1, 2023.
Augmented reality app aims to produce better images of donor organs
Proof-of-concept phase is exploring how this new tool could address a community need and increase organ utilization
Maureen McBride named CEO of UNOS
Interim CEO chosen to lead transplant organization through time of change, opportunity
New policy to allocate donor lungs takes effect
Approach uses the new continuous distribution framework to save more lives.
Nation’s transplant system acts to maximize organ use
Predictive analytics tool and national collaborative of over 80 transplant hospitals focused on increasing organ acceptance and utilization.
Over 30 kidney donors and advocates to celebrate World Kidney Day from the top of Mount Kilimanjaro
Living organ donors and donation advocates will climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness about the need for organ donation and to show what is possible for those who choose to become living donors.
U.S. set lifesaving organ donation and transplant records in 2022
Selfless deceased donors make 12-year record-setting trend possible.
Kidney – Pancreas
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).
FAQ: New multi-organ polices in effect
The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Ad-hoc Multi Organ Transplantation Committee has implemented several safety net policies to ensure patients in need of multiple organ transplants to get priority when they become medically eligible.
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.
Liver – Intestine
Updated median MELD at transplant scores in effect Sept. 27
MMaT values are updated twice each year.
Updates to medical urgency scoring of liver transplant candidates in effect
Updated criteria will better identify and prioritize urgent candidates.
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.
Heart – Lung
Coming soon: Offer Filters for lung allocation
The Offer Filters tool will become available for lung transplant programs in UNetSM on Jan. 31.
Letter to lung transplant community: Working together to increase efficiency
A message from Marie Budev, DO, MPH, FCCP, OPTN Lung Committee Chair Members of the lung transplant community, As we approach the end of 2023, I want to recognize the great work you all have done to save lives this year and to talk about a new tool coming in 2024....
Implementation notice: Data collection changes for lung and heart-lung candidates in effect
Phase one of two data collection changes for lung and heart-lung candidates has been implemented.
VCA
VCA allocation is now in UNet
Allocation of all Vascularized Composite Allograft (VCA) organs has been moved to UNetSM. Any patients on the “VCA Candidate List” have been added to WaitlistSM by UNOS staff.
Important note on upcoming VCA data collection
Members will continue to receive TRR and TRF forms for VCA transplants from UNOS via secure email and return the finished forms via secure email.
Member actions required: data collection and VCA implementation
Patient care will not be impacted during this time.
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.
Nashville’s Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West’s focus on quality improvement
Heather Marshall of Ascension Saint Thomas West Hospital on the education and peer support initiative her program helped pilot.
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.
UNet
Upcoming change to TransNet user management and access
Site security administrators must set permissions for their TransNet users in Security Administration prior to June 5, 2024.
Coming soon: CPRA >98% form removal for highly sensitized candidates
Transplant hospitals will no longer be required to obtain signatures and update candidate registrations when a candidate’s CPRA is above 98%. There are no changes needed for OPOs.
Upcoming TransNet organ check-in reporting change
TransNetSM will no longer be available as of April 24, 2024. TransNet users should instead use the Transnet Organ Check-In History Report
“… policy is the living, breathing expression of group values.”
Martha Pavlakis, M.D. on new policies that put patients first
Policy changes
Latest in reporting positive post procurement donor results
A new permission in Security Administration was added today for transplant programs. Starting Feb. 28, Transplant Programs will be able to view and acknowledge receipt of these notifications from a new dashboard in DonorNet. The dashboard will be visible only to hospital users who have this new permission to acknowledge these notifications.
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.
Implementation notice: Data collection changes for lung and heart-lung candidates in effect
Phase one of two data collection changes for lung and heart-lung candidates has been implemented.
Policy monitoring
Two-year monitoring report continues to show improvements in equity in access to kidney transplants for several key populations
New data monitoring report contains key measures of the current kidney allocation system, 2-years post implementation.
Six-month monitoring report for heart policy following a device recall now available
Policy allows exception status for heart candidates with a recalled assist device.
One-year monitoring report for the Pediatric National Heart Review Board now available
Report contains summary level information on the exception request decisions made by the Pediatric National Heart Review Board.
Learn: Collaborative improvement and educational resources
IN FOCUS
Research in focus: examining organ offers
Three recent studies from UNOS researchers examine offer acceptance practices and impact of Offer Filters tool.
Collaboration
Collaborative improvement project helped OPOs increase DCD transplant in 2021
Project participants experienced more DCD recoveries and transplants than the rest of the nation.
Measuring success: data highlights from the first cohort of the DCD procurement collaborative
Participating OPOs surpassed their project goals, saw higher increases than the rest of the nation.
30 OPOs participating in national project to increase procurement of DCD donors
Number of DCD donor recoveries in 2021 exceeded previous year’s record by more than 29 percent.
Education
Latest in reporting positive post procurement donor results
A new permission in Security Administration was added today for transplant programs. Starting Feb. 28, Transplant Programs will be able to view and acknowledge receipt of these notifications from a new dashboard in DonorNet. The dashboard will be visible only to hospital users who have this new permission to acknowledge these notifications.
National webinar on Nov.15 for lung transplant professionals on upcoming data collection changes and other insights in lung allocation
A recording will be made available afterward.
Effective practices
Learn about collaborative improvement projects
Learn about issues impacting patients, donors, donor families, and the national system. Issues and advocacy
Perspectives
Why I volunteer: Kidney recipient Precious McCowan
Committee member discusses the importance of patient and donor family advocacy.
Accelerating the match run: UNOS partners with Nutanix
Nutanix collaboration called a “performance boost.”
“I pledged to my donor family I would carry his heart with honor”: UNOS Ambassador Roxanne Watson on fulfilling a promise.
Pledge has led to registration of more than 12,000 organ donors.
Leadership news
OPTN Board approves measures to improve kidney offer acceptance process
Greater use of Offer Filters expected to increase efficiency of organ matches.
2024-2025 Call for Nominations for OPTN Board of Directors and Committees
Apply by Sept. 15 to be considered for 2024 vacancies.
In Memoriam: Julie Ice
UNOS celebrates the life and advocacy of Julie Ice, a lung recipient and a member of the OPTN Patient Affairs Committee.
“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
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.
An important message from the MPSC on reducing risk and ensuring patient safety
The Membership and Professional Standards Committee shares opportunities for improvement with OPTN members.
Six-month monitoring report for heart policy following a device recall now available
Policy allows exception status for heart candidates with a recalled assist device.
Transplant hospital
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.
Implementation notice: Data collection changes for lung and heart-lung candidates in effect
Phase one of two data collection changes for lung and heart-lung candidates has been implemented.
FAQs: Submitting supplemental oxygen values for lung candidates
Submitting supplemental oxygen values for lung candidates frequently asked questions and answers.
OPO
Site surveys to be conducted virtually beginning January 2024
Beginning January 2024, all aspects of our routine site surveys will be conducted virtually.
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.
Embracing new ideas to increase DCD donation
One year later, three participants share their perspectives on the benefits of the collaborative learning experience.
Histocompatibility
Changes to security personnel requirements and reporting
Changes to security personnel requirements and reporting to be implemented following policy changes approved by the OPTN Board of Directors.
Implementation notice: CPRA calculation change
CPRA >98% signatures must be entered in Waitlist for the candidate to receive additional allocation priority.
Update: CPRA calculation
The new formula for Calculated Panel Reactive Antibody (CPRA) will now go into effect on Jan. 26, 2023.
Stories and tributes
Each person touched by organ donation transplant has a unique story. Threads of hope connect them. Find videos, stories and tributes