1. Diagnosis
Hospital calls Lifeline of Ohio within 60 minutes for patients who are vented and meet hospital clinical triggers.
2. Notification
Notification is made based on hospital’s clinical triggers.
Lifeline of Ohio staff round daily and huddle with hospital care team to determine patient’s medical suitability, goals of care, plans, family dynamics and family readiness.
3. Family Discussion
After Brain Death determination or family’s decision to withdraw support, Lifeline of Ohio staff huddles with hospital care team to discuss registry status, appropriate family members to approach, process of approach and donation discussion. Lifeline of Ohio staff will inform the hospital care team of the donation approach outcome.
4. Medical Evaluation
Lifeline of Ohio staff huddles with hospital care team regarding BD or DCD process.
Copies of order sets (BD, DCD) are provided; next steps are discussed; donor management begins; OR is given an early notification of pending donor, coroner is contacted (if appropriate); organs, eyes and tissue are evaluated.
5. Matching
Organ allocation takes place and patient is taken to the OR for organ procurement.
- What is the process for organ allocation? https://unos.org/transplant/how-we-match-organs/
- Honor Walk information
- Flag Raising information – If you’re interested in learning more about flag raisings to honor a donor, we invite you to talk with one of our Clinical Staff, who can assist you.
6. Surgical Recovery
- Timing and communication is vital for this step in the process.
- Biopsies may be requested after visualization of each organ.
7. Preservation / Transport
Once organ procurement is complete, some kidneys are placed on pumps and all other organs are packaged per transplant hospital protocols and leave via air or ground transport (Nationwide Organ Recovery Transport Alliance – NORA).
Note: Tissue and eye recovery take place after organ recovery, if appropriate.
8. Transplantation
Transplantation of organs takes place at transplant hospitals.
9. Aftercare
Lifeline of Ohio provides aftercare to donor families and recipients. (More information here)