Out-of-Hospital Deaths

Out-of-hospital death referrals can be called in by coroners’ offices, EMTs, police departments, fire departments, hospice facilities, nursing homes and funeral homes.

MTN wants to ensure families have the opportunity to make the donation decision.

If a family mentions donation, we recommend you respond with something like:

“Tissue and eye donation may be an opportunity for your family. I will contact Midwest Transplant Network, the state’s donation agency, and they will call you with more information and answers to your questions.”

Information needed when making a donor referral:

• Funeral home information

• Decedent’s name, date of birth, date of death, age and gender

• Time of death and/or last time seen alive

• Circumstances surrounding the death

• Any known past medical history

• Will there be an autopsy? If so, when, and where?

• Legal next of kin name, relationship and phone number

After you make the referral at 1-800-366-6791, an MTN coordinator will approach the family about donation if the patient is determined to be an eligible donor.