Actions to strengthen the U.S. organ donation and transplant system
Data collection: Study the use of automated electronic deceased donor referral to enhance donor identification
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Greater access to accurate information and data on potential donors will help the OPTN’s work with the transplant community to increase efficiency to strengthen the system.
UNOS Action
UNOS is working with Congress on legislation to improve data collection on potential organ donors to drive system improvements through greater access to accurate information. The bill directs HHS to conduct a national study of hospitals and organ procurement organizations (OPOs) that have adopted automated electronic deceased donor referral systems. Automated electronic deceased donor referral replaces the standard practice of manually notifying OPOs of potential deceased donors, lifting the burden of reporting off busy hospital staff, reducing the risk of human error, and ensuring every potential donor is referred. Widespread use of automated electronic deceased donor referral could increase the number of organ donors and reduce the number of Americans waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant.
The study will evaluate the effectiveness of automated electronic deceased donor referral systems, identify any barriers or benefits, and determine best practices.
The UNOS Action Agenda reflects the needs of the broader donation and transplant community.
All stakeholders, including UNOS, share a common mission:
Get as many transplantable organs as possible to patients who need them, fairly, equitably and efficiently.
All parts of the national system must be held accountable for making sure that this happens. The transplant community and the OPTN must provide the highest level of service to patients and the greatest level of transparency to the public who have charged them with this lifesaving work.
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4. Transparency