Controlled Donation After Circulatory Death: Benchmark Study

AbstractIn potential organ donors after circulatory death (P), does the utilization of an evidence-based critical pathway from identification of potential donor to organ donation (I) versus no utilization of an evidence-based critical pathway (C) increase the rate of organ procurement and the satisfaction of donor families with the donation process (O)? A benchmark study was conducted to answer this question, and in short, yes, it does. The utilization of a critical pathway, when individualized to a local population and hospital’s organization increases the organ procurement rate, the donor family satisfaction with the process, and increases staff satisfaction with the organ donation process. Shrouded in ethical debate, the utilization of the controlled donor after circulatory death population allows for an increase in access to viable organs for transplant and should be considered where technically feasible. A structured phase-gate implementation process of this critical pathway allows for the continued and structurally ingrained support of all stakeholders to the change process, creating the potential for sustained improvement to the organ donation process commonly known for its difficulty in producing viable organs.Keywords: controlled donation after circulatory death; controlled donation after cardiac death; organ donation; organ procurement; critical pathway