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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
Research in focus: examining organ offers
Three recent studies from UNOS researchers examine offer acceptance practices and impact of Offer Filters tool.
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.
Updated National Liver Review Board guidance in effect for multivisceral candidates
New exception point assignments for qualified candidates needing multi-organ combinations including a liver and intestine
Heart – Lung
Lung transplant rates continue to increase six months post implementation of new lung policy
Lung-alone transplants have increased by 11.2 percent.
Pre-implementation notice: Data collection changes for lung and heart-lung candidates coming
Several data collection changes for lung and heart-lung candidates will be implemented Dec. 13, 2023.
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.
VCA
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.
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.
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
Coming soon: Contact management enhancements
The organ offer contact management utility within DonorNet® will be updated to have a clearer and more concise list of contact device options.
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....
“… policy is the living, breathing expression of group values.”
Martha Pavlakis, M.D. on new policies that put patients first
Policy changes
Three new VCA programs replace GU program
Three new programs have replaced the Vascularized Composite Allograft (VCA) – genitourinary organ (GU) program
Pre-implementation notice: Data collection changes for lung and heart-lung candidates coming
Several data collection changes for lung and heart-lung candidates will be implemented Dec. 13, 2023.
Three new VCA programs to replace GU program
Three new programs will replace the Vascularized Composite Allograft (VCA) – genitourinary organ (GU) program
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
Animated videos describe MELD, PELD formulas
Resource especially designed to inform transplant patients and their caregivers.
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.
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
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.
Voluntary recall of Becton, Dickinson CD5 Series of Genesis sterilization containers
Read the complete recall notice for details.
Transplant hospital
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.
Pre-implementation notice: Data collection changes for lung and heart-lung candidates coming
Several data collection changes for lung and heart-lung candidates will be implemented Dec. 13, 2023.
OPO
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.
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.
Histocompatibility
Update: CPRA calculation
The new formula for Calculated Panel Reactive Antibody (CPRA) will now go into effect on Jan. 26, 2023.
FAQ for patients: CPRA calculation change
We’ve put together some frequently asked questions to help patients wondering about the upcoming change.
Pre-implementation notice: CPRA calculation change
This policy change is intended to more accurately reflect patient sensitization.
What happened in public comment? See what the community had to say. View comments
Stories and tributes
Each person touched by organ donation transplant has a unique story. Threads of hope connect them. Find videos, stories and tributes