Actions to strengthen the U.S. organ donation and transplant system
Patient empowerment: Increase direct services and resources to patients, donors, caregivers and families
1
The current contract obligates the OPTN contractor to provide web‐based patient education materials on the OPTN website. These materials provide information about how organ allocation works, what to expect during the transplant process, the waiting list, resources by organ and more.
UNOS currently enhances these offerings with expanded resources. Including these additional offerings as part of the OPTN contract would ensure that the OPTN serves as a centralized resource to patients and their loved ones during their journey.
UNOS will undertake/propose the following actions
1.
Require the OPTN offer more expansive consumer empowerment tools to enable patients to make choices regarding their care, and education and resources for patients, donors, caregivers, parents and their families.
2.
Develop with the patient community consumer choice tools that include information to assist patients in finding appropriate care for their needs, timely updates about new patient benefits or care programs, emerging medical innovations, or other information to help patients navigate through the donation and transplant process.
UNOS published the Action Agenda on Jan. 30, 2023, to reflect the needs of the broader donation and transplant community. As we progress on the actions and recommendations outlined, we will post updates here accordingly.
All stakeholders, including UNOS, share a common mission:
Get as many usable transplant 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 OPTN contractor must provide the highest level of service to patients and the greatest level of transparency to the public who has charged it with this lifesaving work.
Up next:
2. Equity