Understanding organ donation processes and structures in ontario: A social network analysis approach

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Transplant Logistics
• Organizational Communication

Background:

• Organ donation rates in Ontario increased pre-pandemic, but contributing factors are unclear.
• Inter-organizational arrangements in organ donation programs may play a role.
• Limited research exists on how communication facilitates organ donation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe interprofessional interactions of Organ and Tissue Donation Coordinators (OTDCs).
• To analyze organ donation cases from an organizational perspective (structure, context, process).
• To understand communication dynamics in Ontario's organ donation programs.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-method social network analysis (SNA).
• Analysis of 14 organ donation cases prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Examination of interorganizational communication structures.

Main Results:

• Social network graphs illustrate joint work between hospital staff and OTDCs, with OTDCs central to communication.
• Network density varied (0.05–0.24), with perceived shared vision and trust.
• Decentralized information flow (centralization <0.50) and rapid diffusion potential (path length 1.6–3.2) observed.
• OTDCs act as key intermediaries, though some communication frustrations were reported.

Conclusions:

• The study maps communication networks in organ donation cases, highlighting the critical role of OTDCs.
• Identified opportunities for quality improvement in organ donation communication processes.
• Understanding these dynamics can help re-establish rising organ donation rates post-pandemic.