On Wednesday, Representatives Carol Miller (R-WV), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), and Jim Costa (D-CA) introduced H.R. 4470, the Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act. This bipartisan legislation aims to modernize and streamline the organ donation process by requiring hospitals participating in Medicare and Medicaid to send automated electronic notifications to their designated Organ Procurement Organizations when a patient dies or meets criteria for imminent death. The bill also mandates remote electronic access to a patient’s health records for these organizations.
Rep. Carol Miller emphasized the need for reform, stating, “Over 35 million Americans are living with Chronic Kidney Disease… The Removing Burdens from Organ Donation Act will bring much-needed reform to the organ donation process by simplifying existing procedures.” Rep. Suzan DelBene added that the bill would cut through unnecessary red tape, potentially saving more lives.
The legislation has received praise from various experts and leaders in the transplant community. Maureen McBride, CEO of UNOS, noted that “automated deceased donor referral software tools increase the number of organ donors.” Brad Adams, President & CEO of Southwest Transplant Alliance, highlighted how securely integrating systems between hospitals and procurement organizations could streamline operations.
The Association of Organ Procurement Organizations expressed support for the bill’s potential to improve communication and reduce delays in donor referrals. Dr. Jon Kobashigawa from the American Society of Transplantation endorsed it as a commonsense approach to enhance efficiency in transplantation processes.
Kevin Myer from LifeGift described moving referral calls to electronic notifications as a way to allow critical care staff more time for patient care while expediting lifesaving work. Prabir Roy-Chaudhury from the American Society of Nephrology commended the representatives’ leadership in supporting kidney transplant candidates.
Edward V. Hickey IIII from the American Association of Kidney Patients appreciated efforts addressing America’s organ shortage through this act. Susan Bushnell from the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation stated that streamlining communication could ensure fewer missed transplant opportunities.
Margaret French from Alliance for Home Dialysis concluded that better information leads to better care and hailed this bipartisan bill as a step toward efficient kidney donation processes.
The Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act is supported by several stakeholders across transplant and kidney care communities who recognize its importance in improving efficiency and communication within organ donation processes.
