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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
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Kidney – Pancreas
New data fields available June 29 to prepare for simultaneous heart-kidney and lung-kidney allocation
Updating data in advance will ensure candidates get priority when the policy takes effect.
Safety net policies for kidney-after-heart and kidney-after-lung allocation in effect June 29
Candidates who meet criteria will get additional kidney allocation priority.
Annual kidney allocation calculator updates
Reference populations have been updated for the KDPI and EPTS calculators.
Liver – Intestine
Updated National Liver Review Board HCC guidance in effect April 28, 2023
Clarifications made to diagnostic criteria.
Updated median MELD at transplant scores in effect March 30; MPaT score lowered to 33
Report describes MMaT value for each donor hospital.
Community feedback needed on continuous distribution of liver and intestinal organs
The committee welcomes community input on liver prioritization exercises through March 15, 2023.
Heart – Lung
Impella 5.5 devices can now be reported in Waitlist and TIEDI
New device option added to menu
Learning Congress planned for OPTN DCD Lung Transplant Collaborative
The Sept. Learning Congress, open to all adult lung programs, will mark the conclusion of eight-month collaborative focused on increasing DCD lung transplantation.
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
OPTN Board approves VCA transplant programs, liver allocation refinements, and strategic plan
New VCA specialties included in member directory.
VCA transplant programs to begin reapplication period Oct. 8 ahead of new Bylaws
All current OPTN-approved VCA programs must show they meet new requirements on new application forms.
VCA programs to reapply to OPTN ahead of upcoming changes to bylaws and policy
Programs to have 120 days to submit applications, application release date being finalized.
Improving the system together
What’s the best way to measure transplant program performance?
MPSC proposed changes to performance monitoring to go out for public comment in August.
Data dashboard monitors equity in access to transplant
Data tools helps monitor trends, support key OPTN goals to provide equity in access.
Oscar Serrano, M.D., on reducing disparities in access to transplant
Minority Affairs Committee member Oscar Serrano, M.D., on how the needs of minority and vulnerable populations are considered and addressed in policy development.
UNet
Three new VCA programs to replace GU program
Three new programs will replace the Vascularized Composite Allograft (VCA) – genitourinary organ (GU) program
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.
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).
“… policy is the living, breathing expression of group values.”
Martha Pavlakis, M.D. on new policies that put patients first
Policy changes
New pre-transplant performance metric now in effect, offer acceptance rate ratio
Phase 2 of new system implements to more holistically evaluate transplant program performance.
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.
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.
Policy monitoring
Six-month monitoring report now available for expedited liver policy
Report covers policy outcomes through Sept. 25, 2021.
Updated monitoring report of liver data shows increase in transplants, new policies having anticipated impact
Report addresses first 18 months of data following implementation of acuity circles.
Updated monitoring report of kidney data shows increase in transplants, new policies having anticipated impact
Report addresses first three and a half months of data following implementation of 250 nautical mile circles.
Learn: Collaborative improvement and educational resources
IN FOCUS
More than 15,000 liver transplants performed in first two years of acuity circles policy
Two-year monitoring shows many states had volume changes within 10 percent of previous policy.
Collaboration
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Education
Dissecting the grief cycle: TMF 2023 presenter Nona Dawson-Land on coping with trauma in the workplace
TMF session to focus on understanding loss and grieving cycles in the transplant space.
White paper addresses ethical issues in information to support transplant program selection
Paper addresses likely patient questions and approaches for plain language communication.
Effective practices
Learn about collaborative improvement projects
Learn about issues impacting patients, donors, donor families, and the national system. Issues and advocacy
Perspectives
“Rule change could endanger our organ transplant system”
Transplant surgeon calls for systemic reforms to build on success of transplant system.
Researchers say OPTN modified heart policy achieving stated goals
Research shows a 2018 modified heart policy is achieving most of its intended goals of stratifying candidates and providing broader access to the most medically urgent patients.
UNOS research analyst Julia Foutz on reducing the organ shortage and saving more lives
Research shows collaborative improvement has potential to increase kidney utilization.
Leadership news
UNOS Board of Directors statement on the national examination of the organ donation and transplant system
The UNOS Board commits to driving improvements in our donation and transplant system.
In Memoriam: Jim Gleason
UNOS honors the life and leadership of James Gleason, a long-term heart recipient and a tireless advocate for the needs and interests of transplant recipients and donor family members.
UNOS CEO Brian Shepard to leave organization after a decade of service
Shepard’s bold leadership set UNOS on a firm foundation to advance equity and save more lives in coming years.
“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: Pre-transplant HIV, HBV and HCV testing requirement updated for candidates younger than age 12
Effective July 1, testing no longer required for HIV, HBV and HCV at the time of hospital admission for transplant candidates younger than age 12.
Potential supply issues affecting organ preservation solution
Contact your individual supplier for more information.
Voluntary recall addresses Alprostadil
If your institution has stock from the affected lot, please contact your supplier.
Transplant hospital
Patient Status Confirmation link available in UNet℠ beginning Oct. 2, closes Oct. 23
Transplant programs will be asked to confirm or update patient status for selected patients.
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.
OPO
TransNet no longer supported on Android devices
Effective today, June 30, TransNetSM is no longer supported on Android devices. All TransNet users should use Apple iOS devices to package and label organs.
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.
UNet user audit now open
Site security administrators have four weeks to conduct a required audit of their UNet users.
Histocompatibility
A message from Matt Cooper, M.D.: 2022 UNOS Member Survey
Member survey closes June 17
Now open: 2022 UNOS member survey
UNOS is offering members an opportunity to give valuable feedback to help shape the future of organ donation and transplant.
HLA equivalency table updates and addition of DPB1 epitopes now in effect
The changes to the equivalency tables are intended to reflect changes in HLA typing practice and improve organ allocation.
Stories and tributes
Each person touched by organ donation transplant has a unique story. Threads of hope connect them. Find videos, stories and tributes