Audience: (Please share this notice with anyone in your organization who would benefit from it.)
- Lung and heart-lung transplant programs
- Data Coordinator, Quality Coordinator, TX Program Administrator/Manager, TX Program – Clinical Coordinator, TX Program Director, Primary Program Administrator, TX Fellow, Medicine, TX Fellow, Surgery, TX Physician-Additional,TX Physician Assistant, TX Physician-Other, TX Surgeon-Additional, TX Surgeon-Other, Compliance Officer, TX Nurse, Primary Physician, Primary Surgeon, Primary Data Coordinator, Primary Program Administrator, Primary Clinical Consultant, Clinical Leader
- OPTN Lung Transplantation Committee
Implementation date
Sept. 3, 2024
At-a-glance
A new policy requirement is going in effect that will require lung transplant programs to perform an oxygen titration test ahead of the six-minute walk test for lung candidates at least 12 years old or who are about to turn 12 years old. This policy change will promote equity in lung priority by standardizing the six-minute walk test for lung allocation.
What you need to do
- For lung transplant candidates registered prior to Sept. 3, 2024, who are at least 11 years 6 months old on Sept. 3, 2024:
- Transplant programs will be required to perform an oxygen titration test prior to conducting the six-minute walk test for reporting a six-minute walk distance by March 3, 2025
- For lung transplant candidates registered after Sept. 3, 2024:
- Complete an oxygen titration test ahead of the initial six-minute walk test for lung candidates at least 12 years old
- Complete an oxygen titration test for the six-minute walk test conducted just before candidates turn 12 years old
- Document the final amount of supplement oxygen from the oxygen titration test in the candidate’s medical record
In addition, update any internal policies regarding oxygen titration and the six-minute walk to align with policy changes and coordinate with their pulmonary function testing laboratories to schedule additional tests for lung candidates.
Additional details
These policy changes aim to standardize how transplant programs determine oxygen needs ahead of the six-minute walk test, and provide guidance for lung transplant programs to supplement current clinical standards regarding the six-minute walk test and oxygen titration.
In addition to these policy changes, some of the existing policy language describing how the six-minute walk should be performed will be removed.
Education and resources
Updated policy and new guidance will be published to the OPTN website. Help documentation for six-minute walk distance will be published in the OPTN Waiting List.
Questions
If you have questions relating to implementation, contact Customer Service at [email protected], or call 800-978-4334 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET.
For policy-related questions, contact [email protected].
The Organ Center is available 24 hours a day at 800-292-9537.
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