Affiliation:
1. University of Michigan Medical School Ann Arbor Michigan USA
2. Department of Surgery Section of Transplant Surgery University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
3. Department of Surgery Division of Abdominal Transplant Surgery University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
Abstract
ABSTRACTIntroductionThe 2022 National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report on equity in organ transplantation highlighted limited transparency and accountability for organ offer declines and recommended prioritizing patient engagement in decisions regarding organ offers. Yet, there is no guidance on how to incorporate patients in organ offers. We elected to study the experiences of patients on the waitlist and their perception of a novel Organ Offer Review Card (OORC).MethodsA prototype OORC was created using Donornet refusal codes. Sixty randomly selected kidney waitlist patients at a single center were asked to participate in a web‐based survey focusing on current medical decision‐making preferences and perceptions of the prototype OORC.ResultsAmong the 43 patients reached, 17 (39.5%) completed the survey. Most participants (88.2%) expressed it was important to be involved in the decision‐making about organ offers, with 100.0% of respondents wanting to know why an organ was declined. Regarding the prototype OORC, 94.1% thought it helped them understand the factors and priorities considered when selecting an organ, and 88.2% said it increased their belief that their team was acting in their best interest.ConclusionAn OORC could increase transparency and communication during the waitlist process while enhancing trust in the transplant team.