Costa Introduces Legislation to Reduce Organ Transplant Wait Times for Families in Need

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Jim Costa (CA-21), Rob Wittman (VA-01), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-03) introduced the Organ Donation Referral Improvement Act. This bipartisan bill would explore the use of automated software tools to streamline and enhance the organ donation referral process.

“The Organ Donation Referral Improvement Act represents a critical step toward saving more lives by leveraging technology to streamline the organ donation process,” said Congressman Costa. “By automating donor referrals, this legislation will enhance patient care, reduce human error, and increase efficiency in the organ transplant system. It’s a practical, life-saving solution that will bring hope to countless families.”

"By harnessing the power of technology, we can streamline the organ donation referral process, giving healthcare providers more time to care for their patients and save more lives," said Congressman Wittman. "I thank my colleagues for joining me in reintroducing this bipartisan legislation, and I’m committed to advancing this bill in the 119th Congress so we can remove barriers to adopting automated electronic organ referrals in health systems nationwide and give hope to patients waiting for the gift of life."

"Over 100,000 Americans currently await organ transplants, uncertain about their futures. In these life-and-death situations, every donor referral makes a difference," said Congresswoman McClellan. "The bipartisan OrganDonation Referral Improvement Act will support data collection to assess the utility of automated electronic donor referral tools. This could pave the way for more streamlined transplant processes that reduce wait times and other inefficiencies to help save lives."

“As a physician, I know how important it is to improve our healthcare system’s organ donor transplantation referral process,” said Congresswoman Miller-Meeks. “Our bill aims to enhance patient safety by reducing human error, increase the number of patients receiving the gift of lift, and reduce hospital administrative tasks to focus on patient care. In Congress, fighting for healthcare outcomes for patients and their families remains a priority.”

BACKGROUND

Automated electronic deceased organ donor referrals use hospital electronic health record (EHR) systems to identify and notify organ procurement organizations (OPOs) about potential donors. This technology enhances patient safety, reduces the burden on hospital staff, minimizes human error, and ensures all potential donors are referred, ultimately helping to address the shortage of lifesaving organ transplants.

The Organ Donation Referral Improvement Act seeks to enhance patient safety by ensuring that every potential organ is automatically referred for donation while reducing the time hospital staff spend on manual referrals. Automating the deceased organ donor referral process will allow hospital staff to focus more on patient care, minimizing the risk of human error, and ultimately increasing the number of organs available for transplant.

The bill is endorsed by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO), National Kidney Foundation (NKF), American Kidney Fund, Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association (VHHA), American Society of Transplantation, American Society of Nephrology, American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS), American Liver Foundation, American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA), North American Transplant Coordinators Association (NATCO), American Society of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI), American Association of Kidney Patients, Waitlist Zero, LifeNet Health (VA-01 OPO), Gift of Life Donor Program, Gift of Hope, Infinite Legacy, LifeCenter Northwest, Life Connection of Ohio, Lifebanc, HonorBridge, One Legacy, New Jersey Sharing Network, Lifesharing Donate Life Organization, LifeGift, LifeQuest Organ Recovery Services, and Lifeline of Ohio.

WHAT ARE THEY SAYING? 

“UNOS is proud to support the Organ Donation Referral Improvement Act, which is an essential step towards the national adoption of automated electronic deceased donor referral technology,” said Maureen McBride, Ph.D., CEO of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). “This technology will lift the burden of manual reporting off busy hospital staff, reduce the risk of human error, and ensure all potential donors have the opportunity to donate their organs for life-saving transplants. Nationwide implementation would reduce the number of people waiting for a lifesaving transplant.”

"The American Society of Transplant Surgeons is pleased to endorse the Organ Donation Referral Improvement Act, as we are dedicated to modernizing every aspect of the transplant system to improve patient outcomes,” President Ginny L. Bumgardner, MD, Ph.D. of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. “The research outlined in this bill will gather critical data on the most effective practices for automated electronic donor referrals, optimizing the system's efficiency and ultimately saving numerous lives through the generous act of organ donation."

"The Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) is proud to endorse the Organ Donation Referral Improvement Act, a crucial initiative to maximize the potential of organ donation and save more lives," said President Dorrie Dils of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO). "We appreciate Representative Wittman’s commitment to advancing this life-saving legislation. Our member Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) understand the impact of automatic referrals in accelerating donor identification, authorization, and organ recovery. This proven approach is a critical step toward ensuring every donation opportunity is realized, and we fully support making it a national standard."

“LifeNet Health has found that automatic electronic donor referrals can support earlier identification of potential organ donors, reduce administrative errors, and save hospital staff time,” LifeNet Health OPO Executive Director Todd Hubler said. “LifeNet Health thanks Representatives Wittman, McClellan, Miller-Meeks, and Costa for their leadership on the Organ Donation Referral Improvement Act.”

“With more than 103,000 Americans on the national organ transplant list, public policy to enhance our organ donation system to help save more lives is critically important,” said Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) President and CEO Sean T. Connaughton. “Each day, 17 people die waiting for an organ transplant. The Organ Donation Referral Improvement Act sponsored by Congressman Wittman will help streamline automated referrals for organ donation. This legislation has the support of hospitals in Virginia and beyond, which play a central role in the tens of thousands of organ transplantation procedures performed each year.” 

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