A Conceptual Framework for Evaluating National Organ Donation and Transplantation Programs

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Transplantation Science

Background:

• Conceptual frameworks are vital for healthcare service development but lack specificity for organ donation and transplantation.
• Existing approaches do not comprehensively address critical success factors for national organ donation and transplantation programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a comprehensive conceptual framework for national organ donation and transplantation programs.
• To identify critical domains influencing program success and patient health.

Main Methods:

• Literature review to initially construct the framework.
• Iterative feedback from international experts to refine the framework.
• Incorporation of political, societal, and clinical implementation factors.

Main Results:

• A final framework comprising 16 essential domains for program success.
• Identification of three overarching health system principles: responsiveness, efficiency, and equity.
• The framework offers a whole-system perspective on national organ donation and transplantation.

Conclusions:

• The developed framework provides a novel, comprehensive tool for organ donation and transplantation.
• It can be adapted by any jurisdiction to plan, evaluate, and enhance programs.
• The framework aims to improve patient health through optimized organ donation and transplantation services.