Member resources guide

On this page: Links to policies, bylaws, toolkits and other resources

Changes

For all

For OPOs

For transplant hospitals

Fundamentals

Changes: Pending and implemented

Now in effect: Simultaneous heart-kidney and lung-kidney allocation changes

Sep 28, 2023

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

Sep 28, 2023

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

Sep 28, 2023

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.

View more | All news | OPTN Policy notices

OPTN data collection forms have been updated

View news item

For all members

OPTN policies and bylaws

Policies PDF Bylaws PDF

OPTN evaluation plan

How UNOS, as the OPTN contractor assesses member compliance with OPTN policies and bylaws.

Evaluation plan

Last updated 9/28/2023

UNOS Connect

Online learning: Effective practices, system updates, and policy changes.

UNOS Connect

Quick links

Questions?

Policy questions, email [email protected]
Member monitoring questions, email [email protected]

Understand. Compare. Improve.

Access research and data analytics to improve performance and increase transplant:

Resources for recent changes

July 13, 2023: Improvements to MELD and PELD now in effect

View the implementation notice

eGFR: Waiting time modifications for candidates affected by race-inclusive eGFR calculations

Visit toolkit

Lung allocation: View resources for lung allocation policy based on continuous distribution implemented on March 9, 2023.

Visit toolkit

Jan. 5, 2023: Waiting time modifications policy takes effect. After notifying all of their candidates, all kidney programs must correct waiting times for affected candidates by submitting waiting time modification forms by Jan. 3, 2024. Find details about professional education in the implementation notice.

OPTN membership

Need to apply or amend your organization’s OPTN membership?

Find Member Community’s online application forms here.
Have a question? Email [email protected].

Resources with more information about OPTN member requirements and obligations:

National Organ Transplant Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 273 et seq.
OPTN Final Rule, 42 CFR Part 121
OPTN bylaws
- Article I: Membership of the OPTN
- Appendix D and L

Disease transmission

Potential Donor-Derived Disease Transmission Events

Positive serologies – OPTN FAQ about PDDTE policy changes
OPTN guidance for reporting PDDTE

2020 PHS Guideline

Guidance on new OPTN policies aligning with PHS guideline:

In discussion: Making allocation more fair and flexible.

Now in effect, lung continuous distribution policy. Find more details in the implementation notice.
Liver continuous distribution policy development under way, learn more here.

Multi-organ transplants

SLK: Simultaneous liver-kidney allocation

OPTN SLK toolkit
UNOS instructional video

Clarification to multi-organ allocation policy

UNOS implementation notice: Clarification of multi-organ allocation policy, changes in DonorNet (2/10/2022)

For your patients: guidance and resources

OPTN patient resources
Animated videos for
- KDPI and EPTS
- Lung CAS
UNOS policy brochures
Transplant living website

For professionals: guidance for donor and recipient information sharing

Organ procurement organizations

Deceased donor records

OPTN guidance on:

Special cases, guidance

Expedited placement

OPTN expedited liver toolkit

High CPRA

OPTN: About CPRA
UNOS article: Increasing the use of high KDPI kidneys

Infectious disease testing

FDA resource: FDA-approved screening and diagnostic tests

In discussion: Increasing recovery of DCD organs

UNOS recently led a national collaborative improvement project to help identify and share effective practices related to recovery of donation after circulatory death (DCD) organs. Learn how the first cohort surpassed their aim, contributing to 2021’s record-setting year for recovery of DCD organs.

Transplant programs

Vessels

Within 7 days

Transplant hospitals must report to the OPTN the disposition of all extra vessels, including their use, sharing, or destruction, within seven days of their use, sharing, or destruction.

(OPTN policy 16.6.C, Reporting requirements for extra vessels)

Storing vessels/positive vessel storage

Extra Vessels changes (UNOS, 2019)
Vessel Disposition Reporting FAQs (UNOS, 2015)

Kidney paired donation

OPTN KPD toolkit
UNOS KPD toolkit

FAQs

UNOS article: Transplant surgeon/physician certification
OPTN: FAQs for professionals about implementation of the requirement for race-neutral eGFR calculations

Understand the OPTN performance review process

Access UNOS Connect videos in the course catalog under the Quality/Effective practices category. You’ll find:

Bayesian methods
Demystifying the MPSC performance review process
Performance management series town hall
Benefits of participating – testimonial

Fundamentals

Policy development

UNOS and the OPTN work with committees of volunteers to create policies to ensure that our national system is equitable.

How we develop policy.
Hear community perspectives at regional meetings.
Add your voice to public comment.
Be a part of the process. Get involved and join a committee.
Learn about compliance and performance monitoring. UNOS Member Quality is your partner in improvement.

OPTN, UNOS and SRTR

These three organizations work closely together, but each has their own distinct role in supporting, monitoring and improving the national transplant system.

The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, or OPTN, is a public-private partnership that links all professionals involved in the U.S. donation and transplantation system. It is a member organization that acts through its Board of Directors and volunteer committees. The OPTN board establishes and maintains transplant policies and bylaws. Learn more about the OPTN.
UNOS is the non-profit that serves as the OPTN under contract with the federal government, and convenes the community to develop policies together. UNOS manages the national transplant waiting list and maintains the database that contains all organ transplant data for every transplant event in the U.S. Learn more about UNOS and its role as the OPTN.
The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, or SRTR, operates under contract with the federal government. The SRTR works with UNOS as the OPTN contractor and provides analytic support in policy development and performance monitoring. The SRTR evaluates the performance of the system through regular publication of reports. Learn more about SRTR.