Hospitals to receive help in organ procurement

Healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, and clergy, must know how to initiate the process of organ and tissue donation to fulfill a patient's or family's wishes and how to ensure that the organs and tissues recovered by transplant teams are medically acceptable. After Oct. 1, 1987, federal law requires that hospitals have an organ donation policy and a mechanism in place for contacting an organ procurement agency (OPA). Non-compliance could affect Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. An OPA is responsible for educating its referral hospitals about donor criteria, the national donor-recipient matching system, and how to discuss donation with grieving families. As part of this process, healthcare professionals can be involved in formal educational sessions that address the following questions: What is meant by "organ" and "tissue"? Who can be an organ or tissue donor? Do healthcare professionals need to be able to recognize a potential donor and handle everything on their own? What procedures are followed in initiating the discussion about donation with the family? How should one offer the option of organ and tissue donation to a bereaved family? What are some common family concerns and questions? What does donor maintenance entail? What happens in the operating room? Is there any follow-up after transplantation?