Journal of transplant coordination : official publication of the North American Transplant Coordinators Organization (NATCO)
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This study is part of a developing statewide campaign to increase donation in the black community. Focus groups were conducted to validate information obtained from a market research firm's telephone survey. Among those surveyed, 86.6% indicated they were in favor of donation; 13.4% indicated they were not. ⋯ When asked where they would expect to learn about donation, respondents overwhelmingly chose the medical community. Respondents also listed cultural sensitivity as a criterion for choosing who would handle the donation request. A campaign to address identified issues has been developed and will be implemented statewide.
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The organ donor referral rates at Ben Taub General Hospital, a level 1 county trauma facility in Houston, Tex, were in the high 90s from 1993 through 1996. However, organs were procured from only 25% of those potential donors who were medically suitable. LifeGift Organ Donation Center identified two issues concerning the hospital's organ donor referrals: early medical management problems and a low consent rate. ⋯ In fiscal year 1996, 39 organ donors were recovered. The in-house coordinators' consent rate was 72% of medically suitable potential donors. Early referrals for evaluation contributed to these successes.
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Case Reports
Correspondence and personal contact between donor families and organ recipients: one OPO's procedure and experience.
This article discusses one organ procurement organization's procedure for facilitating correspondence between donor families and recipients while respecting the needs and rights of all involved. From 1992 to 1995, a total of 542 donor family and recipient correspondences were facilitated. Recipients wrote more than 80% of the letters, with the number of donor family correspondence increasing each year. Trends are discussed including the percentage of correspondence initiated by donor families and recipients, reasons for correspondence not being forwarded by the organ procurement organization, the time frame in which correspondence occurred, and the number of families who requested personal contact.
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In this article the results of a 2-year intervention designed to increase rates of organ donation while improving services to bereaved families of potential donors are described. The project focused on improving key elements of the organ donation process. The intervention was implemented in 50 hospitals within the service areas of three organ procurement organizations. ⋯ However, consent rates remained unchanged. Future efforts should focus on improving the request process by systematically incorporating practices that are associated with higher consent rates. This should enable hospital and organ procurement organization staff to appropriately and effectively offer families the option of organ donation; further increases in organ donation should follow.
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From 1983 to August 1995, the University of Miami Organ Procurement Organization evaluated 41 candidates for non-heart-beating cadaveric donation and determined that 34 patients met the criteria. All patients had irreversible brain injury incompatible with survival. All families gave permission for withdrawal of life support and for tissue and organ donation after cardiac arrest. ⋯ All kidneys were preserved by using machine pulsatile perfusion, and 21 kidneys were transported to other centers. Of the 35 transplanted kidneys, 26 (74%) had immediate function, 6 (17%) had delayed graft function, and 3 (9%) were not used for other reasons. Five of the six transplanted livers had immediate function.