Discussing organ donations with patients

The gap between the demand and supply of organs has prompted examination of health care professionals' roles in organ retrieval. This study examines Illinois family physicians' advisory roles as reflected in their beliefs and conversations with patients about cadaveric organ donation.

A 50-item questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of 500 members of the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians. A total of 272 usable surveys were returned.

The majority (67%) of the respondents believe that individuals' wishes to donate should prevail even when patients' families prefer not to donate. Yet, in conversations with patients, most of these physicians recommend only that patients sign driver's license donor cards (81%) and have discussions with family members (57%), methods that do not ensure that individuals' donative wishes will be carried out. Few physicians encourage completion of a health care power of attorney, the method most likely to ensure respect for patient wishes when an individual's desire to donate is specified.

Family physicians could more effectively help patients implement their desires to donate if they would become more familiar with and include in their discussions the potential role of health care powers of attorney.