What are the steps involved in organ and tissue donation and transplantation?
Hospitals notify the Organ Procurement Organization (in this area, New England Organ Bank and/or Life Choice Donor Services) of the impending death of a patient. The OPO staff makes an initial determination about medical disqualifications for organ and tissue donation. If there are no disqualifications immediately apparent, a trained donation professional goes to the hospital to further evaluate the patient and, if the patient has not already consented to donation through a motor vehicle office, ask the next of kin if they are willing to donate the patient’s organs and tissues. Using the national computerized waiting list, the OPO staff matches the donated organs and tissue with the most appropriate recipient(s) and arranges for the recovery surgery. They also stay with the donor’s family and provide support for as long as the family wishes. Immediately after the organ(s) and tissue are surgically removed from the donor, the OPO staff transports the organs and tissue to the transplant
