Information for Healthcare Professionals
We work closely with the healthcare professionals at 38 acute care hospitals to present organ or tissue donation options to families and ensure that donation is considered as a routine part of the end of life process.
State law and federal medicare rules require hospitals to contact Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network at or near the time of death of a patient to determine if the patient has potential to donate organs or tissues. We work closely with the hospital medical and nursing staff to ensure that families are fully informed of their options or understand the organ and tissue donation decisions made by their loved ones.
Overview of the referral and donation process:
- Hospital representative contacts FLDRN at or near the time of death.
- FLDRN does initial assessment of the patient potential to donate organs or tissues.
- In potential organ donor cases, a FLDRN Organ Procurement Coordinator travels to the hospital to evaluate potential donor.
- FLDRN works with hospital staff to help family understand brain death and patient’s prognosis.
- FDLRN presents the family with the opportunity for organ and tissue donation at appropriate time.
After written consent or authorization for donation is provided by family, FLDRN:
- Determines appropriate allocation of donated organs according to national organ sharing policies overseen by the United Network for Organ Sharing.
- Works with medical and nursing staff to manage patient to ensure optimal organ function and maximize gifts made by the donor.
- Coordinates the surgical recovery of organs at the donor hospital with regional transplant teams.
- Manages preservation of organs for transportation to transplant centers and patients awaiting life-saving transplants.
- Coordinates with family’s funeral director or the county coroner for transportation of deceased patient after donation.
Following donation of organs, FLDRN:
- Provides aftercare and counseling to donor families through its Family Services and Aftercare Program.
- Provides post-donation followup and case review to hospital nursing and medical staff.
On an ongoing basis, our Hospital Services and Organ Procurement Coordinators offer educational programs for hospital staff to help assess and develop hospital policies that are consistent with hospital best practices for organ donation. To learn more about our educational offerings, contact us at (585) 272-4930.
