These estimates take
into account the criteria for brain-dead, heart-beating donors and
other contraindications. Roughly half of the missed donations appear
to result from failure of physicians to either declare brain death
in a timely manner, or their failure to notify their Organ Procurement
Organization (OPO) of potential donors. The Nebraska Medical Center
has implemented the Acute Bereavement Services (ABS) department to
avoid this pitfall. This is despite enactment in all 50 states of "required
request" legislation that mandates that all potential donations
be sought. More recently, in October 1999, HCFA released the Final
Rule Amendment which requires all hospitals to notify the OPO of
all deaths for review of organ and tissue donation potential.
There are a variety of proposals to increase
the number of donations, for example: public and professional education,
giving people who have declared their support for donation additional
points on the waiting list should they ever need a transplant themselves
(preferred status), changing the structure of donation from a required
opting-into a required opting-out strategy (presumed consent) and
requiring all adults to register their choice of whether they would
permit donation in the event of their death (mandated choice or
required response).
In Nebraska, legislative efforts have
been made to help promote organ and tissue donation awareness
and education. In May of 1999, LB147 was passed. It allows $1
to be donated to promote organ and tissue donation when paying
the drivers license fee. A new bill in 2003 was passed that would
empower the license to be a legal document instead of requiring
family to give consent in donating a loved ones organs. This
would include the family in the donation process but does not
leave the decision up to them. At the time of license renewal,
you may indicate whether you wish to be an organ donor.
|
