Links to policies, bylaws, toolkits and other resources
For all members
OPTN policies and bylaws
OPTN evaluation plan
How UNOS, as the OPTN contractor assesses member compliance with OPTN policies and bylaws.
Evaluation planLast updated 3/9/2023
Quick links
- Professional education toolkits on OPTN
- Policy notices on OPTN
- UNOS news on policy changes
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:Recent changes
eGFR: Waiting time modifications for candidates affected by race-inclusive eGFR calculations
Lung allocation: View resources for lung allocation policy based on continuous distribution implemented on March 9, 2023.
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.
Nov. 30, 2022: The formula for calculating CPRA score is updating. Read the pre-implementation notice and the patient FAQ to learn more.
July 14, 2022: Two new metrics in effect for enhanced transplant program performance monitoring. Get educational resources and information about the phased timeline for all four risk-adjusted metrics.
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
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
- UNOS policy brochures
- Transplant living website
For professionals: guidance for donor and recipient information sharing
Organ procurement organizations
Deceased donor records
Special cases, guidance
High CPRA
- OPTN: About CPRA
- UNOS article: Increasing the use of high KDPI kidneys
Infectious disease testing
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
- Bayesian methods
- Demystifying the MPSC performance review process
- Performance management series town hall
- Benefits of participating – testimonial
Fundamentals
Policy development
- 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
- 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.