Optimizing cadaveric organ procurement: the catalan and Spanish experience

Area of Science:

• Transplantation Medicine
• Public Health Policy
• Organ Donation Systems

Background:

• Growing disparity between organ transplant supply and demand necessitates innovative solutions.
• The Spanish healthcare system implemented a structured approach to organ donation and retrieval.
• This initiative aimed to professionalize and budget organ donation activities within hospitals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a specialized organ donation network and dedicated budget on organ procurement.
• To assess changes in donor referral rates and donation rates following system implementation.
• To analyze the effect on overall transplant activity and waiting lists.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a permanent network of trained medical staff for organ donation and removal.
• Allocation of specific budgets for organ donation activities within accredited centers.
• Performance accountability for responsible medical staff.
• Quality monitoring of the donation and retrieval process.

Main Results:

• A significant increase in potential donor referrals, including elderly donors.
• Organ donation rates more than doubled within 10 years (from 14 to 34 donors per million population).
• Transplant figures increased proportionally, with sustained high kidney transplant activity in regions like Catalonia.

Conclusions:

• A dedicated, budgeted organ donation system can dramatically improve donor rates and transplant outcomes.
• Ongoing quality monitoring reveals potential for further improvement in donor referral and process efficiency.
• Promotion of living donation and non-heart-beating organ retrieval remains important for future growth.