Short-term Results From a Training Program to Improve Organ Donation in Uncontrolled Donation After Circulatory Death

In all organ transplantation programs, election of the proper protocol relies primarily on the professionals involved in the detection of potential donors. The objective of our study was to assess the impact of a series of prehospital training sessions, as well as to develop several positive feedback strategies within the uncontrolled organ donation after circulatory death (uDCD) program in our city.

A before-after intervention study was carried out in 3 steps. First, professionals enrolled in the Emergency Health Services Agency-061 (EPES-061) program underwent specific training to identify potential donors. Second, a specific logotype was designed to alert emergency health care professionals that in cases where cardiopulmonary resuscitation was ineffective and after treatment of all potentially reversible causes, the "chain of survival" should be considered a "chain of opportunities." Third, a positive feedback strategy was put in place, whereby each time a donation was procured, the EPES-061 personnel that had identified the potential donor were notified by phone and in a personal letter.

The mean age for donors was 50.5 years of age (interquartile range 37-52.5), and 89.5% of all donations came from male subjects. Positive feedback letters and phone calls, including information on final outcome, were provided to the appropriate personnel in 100% of the cases. Postintervention information showed an increase in both eligible and utilized donors.

Interventions outside the hospital setting that facilitate optimal implementation of the uDCD program are an essential part of this strategy to increase the donor pool and make the wait shorter for transplant patients.