The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) issued a call to action in February 2022, urging a comprehensive overhaul of the national organ donation program within five years. Recognizing the critical need for reform, LifeGift in collaboration with Houston Methodist, is coordinating efforts to improve our system with the creation of the Deceased Organ Donation Performance Improvement Collaborative. This initiative, which is generously sponsored by Sanofi, includes representation from all transplant centers in the LifeGift service area, as well as experts in organ procurement, transplantation, research and patient engagement from various parts of the United States.
The urgency of this effort is underscored by the challenges faced by patients with organ failure and their families, many of whom experience the heartbreak of losing loved ones while waiting for a suitable organ match. Despite LifeGift and their transplant partners providing hope and expanded access to a deceased donor transplant for many families, a significant number of donated organs are not used due to varying acceptance criteria, logistical challenges, operating room scheduling challenges and the limited time for organ preservation as well as transplant center fear of regulatory pressure. In fact, 1 in 5 kidneys from deceased donors are not utilized. The situation is further complicated by the racial disparity gap in clinical transplantation, where underserved communities, including minorities and rural populations, are more likely to require an organ but less likely to receive one.
“The primary goal of this collaborative is to search peer-reviewed literature, identify key performance improvement priorities and implement innovative care strategies to enhance the recovery and transplantation of organs,” says Kevin Myer, MSHA, LifeGift president and CEO. “By focusing on meaningful data collection and expert analysis, the collaborative aims to find interventions to increase the number of successful organ transplants and improve outcomes for patients in need.”
“The Deceased Organ Donation Performance Improvement Collaborative is dedicated to enhancing both the quantity and quality of deceased donor organs for transplantation. This includes increasing organ donation and transplantation within diverse racial and ethnic communities,” shares Amy Waterman, PhD, FAST, professor and director of patient engagement at Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center. “The collaborative, consisting of transplant and organ procurement providers, researchers and family members of deceased donors, works together to identify key improvement priorities, evaluate new innovations and share best practices. Additionally, the group plans to publish journal articles and present findings at national conferences to boost the visibility and quality of research on deceased organ donation.”
The collaborative’s strategy involves developing a robust research infrastructure, conducting studies on key NASEM priorities and analyzing and publishing research findings. The ultimate aim is to increase the number of donors, improve the utilization of organs and enhance the quality of care provided to transplant patients with added attention to health equity. By leveraging research tools and fostering collaboration among stakeholders, LifeGift and Houston Methodist seek to make significant advancements in donation and transplantation while bringing new hope and life to individuals awaiting organ transplants.