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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
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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.
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.
Kidney committee leadership discusses increasing geographic equity in access to kidney transplant
A result of two years of public comment and policy development, the new distance-based approach prioritizes patients.
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
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.
Webinar to address kidney-after-thoracic safety net, combined kidney-thoracic allocation
The webinar will be recorded and made available for later viewing.
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: 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.