Clinical Services
Hospital Services
Family Services
Community Outreach
   
The Transplant Network's placement and transplant coordinators are specially trained to evaluate potential donors, discuss donation with family members and allocate and arrange for the recovery of donated organs.

When a potential donor is identified in the Transplant Network's service area, a transplant coordinator is sent to the hospital to evaluate medical suitability and to work with the hospital staff to provide appropriate care for the donor and support for the family. If the deceased individual has authorized donation (donor card or donor registry) or the family consents to donation, the transplant coordinator performs various evaluations to provide an overall picture of the condition of the organs.

This information is then passed along to placement coordinators who enter these details into a national database of information to match the donated organs with transplant candidates. The allocation of these organs is based on organ sharing policies established by the national Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN). Generally, organs are allocated first to candidates waiting at the local transplant centers with consideration given to the severity of illness and time waiting.
     
As a condition of participation in the Medicare program, the Centers for Medicare and Medical Services (CMS) and Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations requires every hospital in the United States to report all deaths to the organ procurement organization in its region. The Transplant Network has a team of Hospital Service Coordinators who provide hospitals with information and guidance about the donor process and provide routine compliance reports to them. Each coordinator is dedicated to specific hospitals within the service area. Our collaborative partnerships with donor hospitals ensure a smooth donation process, thereby increasing the number of lives saved every year through organ donation.
     
The Family Services department provides culturally-sensitive and language specific compassionate care for grieving families at our donor hospitals. Family Service coordinators discuss the option of organ and tissue donation with families, assist in funeral arrangements and other end-of-life decisions, and provide general support for families.

Following a donation, the family service department sends letters of appreciation to donor families and provides them with information about the outcome of the gift of life. Families also receive a certificate of appreciation from the U.S. Surgeon General and information about grief and loss. Families routinely receive follow-up phone calls at different intervals with offers for other resources such as referrals to local community support groups, time with a grief counselor, and/or information about supporting children through grief. Lastly, the department is also in charge of facilitating communication between donor families and recipients.
     
The Transplant Network has a staff of Community Affairs Coordinators who are dedicated to promoting organ and tissue donation through various public education opportunities. With the assistance of volunteers, the outreach staff is able to make more than 350 presentations to schools, churches, community groups, associations, and corporations every year. You can also find our booths at various community festivals and health fairs throughout the year. (See Event Calendar)

Education is also targeted towards improving awareness of organ and tissue donation in our various ethnic communities including African-American, Latino, Chinese, Filipino, and Vietnamese populations. In each community, our staff has developed language specific and culturally-appropriate materials regarding the need for organ and tissue donation and the success of transplantation. Incorporated into messages about donation are messages about health and disease prevention. The Transplant Network welcomes every opportunity to educate the public about organ and tissue donation.

For more information on how you can become involved in our public education efforts, please click here.