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UNOS CEO Maureen McBride responds to July 20 New York Times article
UNOS CEO Maureen McBride responds to new article by New York Times.
UNOS adds two members to its board of directors
Melina Davis and Mark Johnson join UNOS’ current seven-member board
U.S. surpassed 48,000 organ transplants in 2024
UNOS advocates for reforms to strengthen the system
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.
UNOS advances plan to restructure transplant network governance to best serve patients
To increase autonomy and transparency to better serve the nation’s transplant patients, UNOS recommends a restructure of respective boards of directors and to establish the OPTN as an independent non-profit entity.
Change addressing disparity for black kidney patients takes effect
New policy allows for waiting time adjustments for those disadvantaged by the use of race-based measures of kidney health.
UNOS leadership requests USDS engagement concerning leaked report and impact on patients
Leaders in organ donation and transplantation seek meeting and assessment with U.S. Digital Service concerning IT systems that make over 41,000 transplants possible per year.
UNOS seeks better air transportation for lifesaving organs
Board Presidents and Interim CEO request meeting with DOT, HRSA, FAA and TSA to find paths for improvement.
Kidney – Pancreas
New kidney biopsy fields added to DonorNet and TIEDI
New kidney biopsy fields have been added to DonorNet® and TIEDI®.
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.
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
VCA into UNet: education available
At-a-glance Professional education is now available for members who will list and manage the records of VCA transplant candidates and donors when allocation moves into UNetSM on Sept. 14. To access professional education, log into UNOS Connect and search for: VCA 102:...
Pre-implementation notice: VCA coming to UNet Sept 14, 2023
Implementation date Sept. 14, 2023 At-a-glance Allocation of all Vascularized Composite Allograft (VCA) organs will move to UNet on Sept. 14. Please review the information in this notice to ensure that your program is prepared for the transition. Changes to UNet on...
VCA coming to UNet Sept 14, 2023
Allocation of all Vascularized Composite Allograft (VCA) organs that were originally scheduled to move into UNet in Spring 2023, will now implement on Sept. 14.
Improving the system together
“Our cosmic goal”: Enhancing transplant metrics and increasing transplant
MPSC chair Ian Jamieson on transforming and improving transplant performance metrics.
Working collaboratively to enhance system performance and improve transplant program monitoring metrics
MPSC’s proposed changes to performance monitoring to go out for public comment in August.
Building a new, more flexible system for organ allocation
How UNOS is using multi-criteria decision-making methodologies to build the continuous distribution framework, a more fair and flexible system for organ allocation
UNet
Data confirmation reports now available in Data Services Portal
Will allow new functionality and flexibility
Mandatory training and UNet user audit opens Feb. 28, 2024
Beginning Feb. 28, 2024, site security administrators will have four weeks to complete the required audit of their UNet users. Prior to completing the audit, site security administrators must complete the updated training course UNet Security Administration (SYS 150)...
Now available: Predictive analytics in desktop DonorNet
These predictions are intended to supplement, not replace, existing data and clinical judgment.
“… policy is the living, breathing expression of group values.”
Martha Pavlakis, M.D.
Policy changes
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.
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.
Policy monitoring
Three-month monitoring report for heart policy following a device recall now available
Report shows key measures of adult heart allocation based on policy changes implemented in July 2022.
Two-year monitoring report available for the elimination of the use of DSAs in heart allocation
A new data report contains key measures of adult heart allocation based on policy changes implemented in January 2020.
Three-year monitoring report available for changes to adult heart allocation
A new data report contains key measures of adult heart allocation based on policy changes implemented in October 2018.
Learn: Collaborative improvement and educational resources
IN FOCUS
New milestone reached in kidney donation and transplant
For the first time, more than 25,000 kidney transplants were performed in a single year
Collaboration
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Education
TMF 2024 Heckenkemper Award Winner: Nancy Metzler honored
"We have the unique privilege as transplant administrators to support our team as they turn a tragedy into a miracle." Nancy Metzler The Annual Heckenkemper Leader in Transplant Administration / Quality Award (also known as the Heckenkemper Award) is given each year...
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
Patient safety
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.
Three-month monitoring report for heart policy following a device recall now available
Report shows key measures of adult heart allocation based on policy changes implemented in July 2022.
Monkeypox educational document available for transplant candidates
Resource addresses risks, treatment and prevention.
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
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).
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.
Member actions required: data collection and VCA implementation
Patient care will not be impacted during this time.
Histocompatibility
Pre-implementation notice: CPRA calculation change
This policy change is intended to more accurately reflect patient sensitization.
Changes to HLA and unacceptable antigen options in effect
Updates to HLA typing and unacceptable antigen reporting options and equivalencies are now in effect.
Action required: KPD eligibility impacted by new HLA options
KPD programs must add DPA1 test results before Sept. 8.