What is the process of organ and tissue donation?
Hospitals are required to call the local organ procurement organization (in Alabama, the Alabama Organ Center) when a death occurs or death is imminent. The Alabama Organ Center (AOC) staff will determine if the patient is a potential organ and/or tissue donor. If the patient is medically suitable, someone from the AOC or specially-trained member of the hospital team, will offer the option of donation to the family. Prior to talking to the family, the AOC will see if the patient indicated their wishes to donate on the Legacy Organ & Tissue Donor Registry. We will share that information with the family. Once the family consents and completes the necessary paperwork, then the AOC will evaluate the donor more thoroughly for medical suitability and coordinate the recovery of organs and tissues. The AOC will also stay with the donor family and provide support as long as the family wishes. Within about two weeks of the donation the donor family will receive a letter from the AOC expressing o
