Issuu

QUARTER 4 • 2023

DONATION

In This Issue MTN Updates Celebrating One Year of a World-Class Donor Care and Surgical Recovery Unit......... 1-2 Celebrating Diversity in Donation.........................2 National DMV Appreciation Month......................2 Columbia Donation Symposium.............................3

Funeral Home & Medical Examiner Partners NAME (National Association of Medical Examiners) 57th Annual Meeting..........................3

Hospital Partners The Difference Between Brain Death and DCD................................................................................ 4 DCD Donation Trends and Data............................. 5 It’s That Time of Year Again — Mortality Data................................................................... 5 By the Numbers................................................................ 5 Donation Policies............................................................. 5

Licensing, Treasury and Department of Revenue Partners National DMV Appreciation Month..................... 6 National DMV Appreciation Month Decorating Contest........................................................ 6 T-Shirt Store Opening in November.....................7 Connected to the Cause................................................7

Connection A newsletter for our frontline partners

Celebrating One Year of a World-Class Donor Care and Surgical Recovery Unit

ne year ago — Sept. 1, 2022 — Midwest Transplant Network (MTN) opened its new Donor Care and Surgical Recovery Unit (DCU) after years of careful planning, preparation and training on the processes and technology associated with an in-house facility. Since then, with support from many hospital, professional and community partners, we have cared for 131 donor patients from 29 area hospitals in our world-class DCU. These donor heroes provided 415 lifesaving organs to those who desperately waited for a second chance. The DCU features a seven-bed onsite intensive care unit, two state-of-the-art operating rooms, a CT scanner with technology to conference remotely with physicians, a specialty laboratory and a family support lounge for donor heroes’ loved ones to gather if desired. Patients who meet certain clinical criteria may be eligible to move to the DCU, where MTN staff members continue administering high-level critical care until surgical teams begin organ recovery. “We had a vision to create a specialized facility in-house for many years, and seeing it come to fruition has been so powerful,” said Lori Markham, RN, MSN, CCRN-K, CPTC, MTN Vice President & Chief Clinical Officer. “I am incredibly proud of our team for all their hard work, and I am grateful for all our partners that have come together to support this new process that allows for better outcomes.” Since the DCU opened, MTN has enabled more organs per donor to be transplanted than before, with the average number of organs transplanted per donor increasing from 3.1 pre-DCU to 3.35 postDCU opening among the same type of donor characteristics when recovered in donor hospitals. (Continued on page 2)

Celebrating One Year of a World-Class Donor Care and Surgical Recovery Unit Continued from page 1 “It’s an honor to fulfill the mission of MTN in this incredibly important work and also recognize the need to continue innovating and improving to honor donor heroes and their families,” said Jan Finn, RN, MSN, MTN President & Chief Executive Officer. “We are proud to see our staff and facility working so well allowing us to extend the gift of life to even more recipients and provide hope for those awaiting a transplant.” MTN staff members are highly trained in the complexity of caring for organ donor heroes in the DCU, which was designed specifically to maximize the gift of life; this can free up critical resources in area hospitals — such as intensive care unit beds and operating rooms — to serve other patients in need. “My team has complete confidence in sending our patients to Midwest Transplant Network’s DCU,” said Carol Perry, Senior Vice President & Chief Nursing Officer, Stormont Vail Health; MTN Advisory Board. “The state-of-the-art facility allows MTN’s team of expertly trained staff members to provide specialized care for donors as their gifts are matched with recipients and throughout the organ, eye and tissue recovery process. Knowing our donor heroes are receiving high-quality care at the DCU allows us to dedicate resources to critically ill patients in our ICU.”

Celebrating Diversity in Donation

n August, we celebrated National Multiethnic Donor Awareness Month, a collaborative initiative to save and enhance lives in diverse communities by creating a positive culture for organ, eye and tissue donation. Our staff members and Ambassadors were hard at work in the community all month, participating at donation information booths at area Walgreens locations, the Missouri State Fair, the North Kansas City Schools convocation kicking off the academic year and the Ryan Grace Memorial Scholarship and Baseball Tournament, as well as festivals such as Hot Alma Nights in Alma, Kansas. We also shared stories about staff members, donor heroes and volunteer Ambassadors of different races, ethnicities and traditions on our website and social media, and we hosted a lunch and learn with the Greater Kansas City Black Nurses Association (GKCBNA). GKCBNA’s founder, Deborah Washam, RN, MSN, CCM, presented disparities in healthcare that impact African American communities and educated about a range of donation-related myths that can make people less likely to say “yes” to organ, eye and tissue donation. Regardless of your cultural identity, we encourage you to join the organ, eye and tissue donor registry if you haven’t already done so at ShareLifeMidwest.com, through your iPhone Health app, or at a licensing, treasury or Department of Revenue office.

National DMV Appreciation Month

eptember is National DMV Appreciation Month, and we enjoyed recognizing our valuable licensing, treasury and Department of Revenue office partners all month long (for details, see page 6). Although September is over, our gratitude for the important work employees at these offices do in helping patrons join the organ, eye and tissue donor registry continues. The next time you visit a licensing, treasury or Department of Revenue office, please join us in thanking the staff members for asking donation-related questions, helping to save and enhance lives.

2 • Learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation at mwtn.org

NAME (National Association of Medical Examiners) 57th Annual Meeting San Jose, California • Oct. 13 – 17

rad Marten, MTN’s Funeral Home, Medical Examiner & Coroner Liaison, will be part of the NAME Ad-Hoc Organ and Tissue Donation Committee, which aims to foster communication and understanding between organ and tissue procurement agencies and medical examiner/coroner offices. It works to promote organ and tissue donation approval by medical examiner/coroner offices and facilitate discussions for practice improvements in both the organ and tissue donation realms and in the medical examiner/coroner realm.

Columbia Donation Symposium

TN staff members were excited to host researchers, physicians, surgeons and transplant recipients as well as other healthcare professionals and community partners for a Donation Symposium in Columbia, Missouri, in July. Attendees learned about advances in organ recovery, the impact of tissue transplantation, best practices for caring for donor families and more.

The Ad-Hoc Organ and Tissue Donation Committee sponsors a Bring Your Own Slides event at the 57th annual NAME Annual Meeting, where we will invite NAME members to share stories related to organ and tissue donation. This will be a forum to discuss successes, failures and suggestions for improvement. We look forward to seeing many of you in San Jose, California, this October.

A newsletter for Midwest Transplant Network's frontline partners • 3

Hospital Partner Education About this newsletter

his insert is intended for clinical staff and not for the general public. Please post in a highly visible clinical area such as a break room.

Follow Us /MidwestTransplantNetwork /MidwestTransplantNetwork /MidwestTransplantNetwork @MWTransplant Midwest Transplant Network

The Difference Between Brain Death and DCD Brain Dead Donor

DCD

A vented, heart-beating patient who has suffered complete and irreversible cessation of the entire brain, including the brain stem

A vented, heart-beating patient who does not meet brain death criteria, and the family has chosen to remove the ventilator and allow their loved one to pass away

Donation after circulatory death (DCD) Donation after circulatory death (DCD) is defined as organ donation in patients who do not meet brain death criteria and are anticipated to reach asystole within 120 minutes of removal of ventilatory support. This timeframe may be extended in specific cases. DCD can only occur after a family has made a firm decision to withdraw mechanical and pharmacological support. These donor heroes will remain at the hospital to recover organs for transplant.

More about DCD: • Prior to shifting to comfort care, MTN will assess potential for organ donation. • If the patient is eligible for organ donation, MTN will collaborate with the hospital care team to determine next steps for the organ donation discussion with the patient’s family. • Following authorization for DCD, the hospital’s attending physician will continue direct care for the patient while collaborating with MTN. • If the patient expires within necessary timeframes after the ventilator is removed, recovery of organs for transplant will occur after pronouncement of circulatory standstill. • DCD is less common than donation after brain death, occurring in about 32% of MTN’s organ donors.

4 • Learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation at mwtn.org

By the Numbers

Total Organs Transplanted Jan. 1 - Aug. 31, 2023

74 hearts 103 lungs

DCD Donation Trends and Data

156 livers

Nationally, DCD donation is on the rise, with DCD heart transplants increasing by 68% in 2022 due to rapidly evolving perfusion technology.

356 kidneys

CD donation rates have greatly increased over the past several years. Specifically, from 2019 to 2022, MTN saw an 84% increase in the number of DCD organ donor heroes. We estimate that in 2023, the number of heroes will rise to 123, a 98% increase since 2019.

19 pancreata

• The timing of communication with MTN is essential to compassionately support the family through the donation process. Determining DCD potential takes time to evaluate and for MTN staff to arrive at the hospital. The most important step you can take is to notify MTN when the healthcare team is anticipating a grave-prognosis conversation with a family. Ideally, MTN will be onsite for these end-of-life decisions to ensure a smooth transition to MTN for the donation conversation when appropriate.

5 intestines

• If the family opts for continued care before making any comfort care decisions, MTN will continue to follow in the background until the appropriate time. • DCD donor heroes save lives of those waiting for a lifesaving gift. As medical criteria for deceased organ donation continues to evolve with increased studies and experience, an increasing number of patients may meet new criteria for DCD.

It’s That Time of Year Again — Mortality Data

he start of next year is coming quickly and will be the time for annual donation performance reports.

Please send your hospital’s mortality data for Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2023, by Feb. 9, 2024. Please send via secure email or fax to your Hospital Services Coordinator. If you need assistance with a secure email, please do not hesitate to contact your Hospital Services Coordinator. Thank you!

Donation Policies

ave you updated and/or completed a review of your general donation, brain death and/or DCD policies this year? If so, please contact your MTN Hospital Services Coordinator (HSC) so we can ensure we have the most current version on file. If you don’t know who your HSC is, please call our main number at 913-262-1668.

A newsletter for Midwest Transplant Network's frontline partners • 5

National DMV Appreciation Month Decorating Contest

National DMV Appreciation Month

eptember is National DMV Appreciation Month, an observance created by Donate Life America to celebrate the hard work and important role that our licensing, treasury and Department of Revenue partners play in the donation and transplantation process. We know that most individuals register to be organ, eye and tissue donors while they are at the DMV obtaining a new identification card or driving credential. We also know that a large amount of awareness is spread through the Donate Life license plate options obtained at licensing, treasury and Department of Revenue offices. With the help of our DMV partners, we can continue to share the message of donation and register individuals to help save and enhance the lives of others. At MTN, we are grateful for the collaboration and partnership of over 200 licensing, treasury and Department of Revenue offices in our service area.

Pictured above: 1. Belton, Missouri, License Office; 2. Monett, Missouri, License Office; 3. Sedgwick County, Kansas, Treasurer’s Office; 4. Wichita, Kansas, West License Office; 5. Maryville, Missouri, License Bureau; 6. Clark County, Kansas, Driver's License Office; 7. Jackson County, Kansas, Treasurer’s Office; 8. Eldon, Missouri, License Office; 9. Newton County, Kansas, DMV Office; 10. Lawrence, Kansas, License Office.

TN is lucky to partner with such supportive and creative DMV partners. Several offices took the time and energy to decorate for National DMV Appreciation Month to continue bringing awareness to this important and lifesaving mission. Thank you to all that submitted their decor for this year! Stay tuned for the next Donation Connection edition, when we will announce the winning offices.

6 • Learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation at mwtn.org

Connected to the Cause

uring National DMV Appreciation Month, we asked Assistant Manager Stefanie Dotson of the Maryville (Missouri) Licensing Bureau about her important role in the donation process. She was generous enough to share her personal ties to organ, eye and tissue donation as well.

Q: Tell us a bit about the role the DMV plays in organ, eye and tissue donation. A: As a DMV worker, any time we issue a permit or driver’s license, we ask if they would like to be an organ, eye and tissue donor. I have found that many people are unaware of the program and have no knowledge of the benefits. At that time, I am able to inform them with the facts and use my personal experiences so they can make the right decision for them.

T-Shirt Store Opening in November

he T-shirt store for licensing, treasury and Department of Revenue office employees is scheduled to be open again in November, with shirt delivery in early December. MTN Donor Designation Coordinator Elizabeth Gonzales-Manns will send out the store link and ordering information in early November for you to place your office’s shirt order. If you are not currently receiving emails from our Donor Designation Coordinator, please reach out to her at egonzales@mwtn.org.

Q: Tell us about your connection to organ, eye and tissue donation. A: I have several connections to the organ, eye and tissue donation program. I have a friend who has received two kidneys, and I’m happy to report she’s doing great. My mother-in-law had three kinds of cancer, and my husband was still able to donate her corneas when she passed. The one most dear to my heart is my organ donor hero nephew, Aiden. Aiden was 16 year old when tragedy struck, and we found ourselves devastated by the news he would not be going home with us. I looked at my sister and said, “You know what the next question is, right?” She said, “No, what?” I said, “Do you want to donate his organs?” She took a bit to talk it over and decided she would. The honor walk was amazing. My sister has since received letters from some of the recipients, which have been amazing to read.

Q: How does your specific office help inform and educate patrons on the importance of joining the donor registry? A: Our office always tries to find fun ways to open up the conversation about being a donor. We like to participate in any decorating contests that are available, we have different displays with facts about being a donor and we include the people we know who are recipients or have become a donor hero in our displays. Around the holidays, we decorate a tree with the donation colors and add bracelets for the public. Read more of Dotson’s powerful story: mwtn.org/blog

A newsletter for Midwest Transplant Network's frontline partners • 7

Mission Saving lives by honoring the gift of donation with dignity and compassion

1900 W. 47th Place, Suite 400 Westwood, KS 66205

Vision Leading organ and tissue donation through excellence, quality and partnerships

Follow Us /MidwestTransplantNetwork /MidwestTransplantNetwork /MidwestTransplantNetwork @MWTransplant Midwest Transplant Network

January

Upcoming Events Event Audience Key General MTN

Jan. 1, 2024 • OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade® Float at the Rose Parade® The Donate Life community will feature a float in the Rose Parade. The float, called “Woven Together: The Dance of Life,” will include a floragraph of 14-year-old donor hero Jayme Sue Louque of Olathe, Kansas. You can see the OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade float in the Rose Parade on Monday, Jan. 1, airing on ABC, NBC and Univision, and streaming on Peacock.

Funeral Home & Medical Examiner Partners Hospital Partners Licensing, Treasury and Department of Revenue Partners

View all upcoming events: mwtn.org/events

About Our Donor Family Newsletter Thank you for being a valued MTN partner. We know many of you have personal connections to donation, including those of you whose loved ones are donor heroes. If you are part of a deceased donor’s family and you would like to receive a newsletter featuring inspirational stories of organ, eye and tissue donors, as well as grief resources, please sign up to receive Serenity: mwtn.org/serenity.