Concentrated Professional Education to Implement Routine Referral Legislation Increases Organ Donation

Routine referrals: A possible solution for transplantation shortages

“…The shortage of organs poses a public health crisis that need not exist. [19] Federal government accepted that the problem of an inadequate supply of transplantable organs should be addressed at state legislation level. [20] Only the state of Pennsylvania is discussed, as their legal framework resonates with the arguments in this article.…”

“…Pennsylvania has ARTICLE legislated routine referrals, which determine that all patients at or near the time of death, regardless of age or disease, must be referred to a transplant co-ordinator. [21] The Department of Health monitors compliance via retrospective reviews of medical records, and imposes a fine of up to $500 for each instance of hospital noncompliance. [19] The nursing staff are mainly responsible for referrals, and hospital compliance must be recorded in the patient's medical records.…”

“…[21] The Department of Health monitors compliance via retrospective reviews of medical records, and imposes a fine of up to $500 for each instance of hospital noncompliance. [19] The nursing staff are mainly responsible for referrals, and hospital compliance must be recorded in the patient's medical records. The Delaware Valley Transplant Program was developed by an organ procurement organisation to develop a strategy to implement hospital protocols required by law.…”

Expanding the donor pool for liver transplantation

“…Several different regulations have been enacted requiring hospitals to notify the OPO at the time of brain death. Some states have enacted "required referral" laws, which mandate that at or near the time of death in every patient, the hospital is required to notify the OPO [21]. The purpose of this law is threefold.…”

“…Studies have shown, however, that the number of donor organs increases in areas where "required referral" laws have been enacted. In Pennsylvania, the number of organ donors increased 24% after a "required referral" law was approved [21]. North Carolina passed a similar "required referral" law in 1997.…”