This page is a resource for hospital partners of the LifeNet Health Organ Procurement Organization.
As a federally designated Organ Procurement Organization, LifeNet Health partners with hospitals to facilitate organ recovery and transplantation for most of Virginia, three counties in West Virginia, and one county in North Carolina. Our goal is to save as many lives as possible. We are also committed to honoring the decisions of tissue donors. LifeNet Health offers a comprehensive network of support, including a 24/7 call center to take referrals, on-site representatives who can assist families, coordinators to facilitate the recovery process, and expert surgical assistants.
Making a Referral
Anytime a patient death is imminent, hospitals are required to notify their OPO within 60 minutes by calling 1-866-543-3638. If your facility participates in our electronic referral process, click here
Press 1 for ventilated patients with a heartbeat.
These are patients who meet one or more of the following criteria:
- GCS of 4 or less, including a sedated patient (note: HCA, UVA, and Bon Secours Mercy Health use GCS of 5 or less)
- Anticipated discussions of withdrawal of ventilator or pharmacological support
- Anticipated brain death testing
- Any mention of donation to or by the family
Be prepared to provide the patient’s name, demographic information (age, sex, race), medical record number, admission date, admitting diagnosis, and current medical history.
Press 2 for patients who have a pronounced time of death.
This will help us begin the process to evaluate tissue donation. Be prepared to provide date and time of death or when last seen alive, clinical course, whether the death will be a Medical Examiner or autopsy case, current medical history (labs and X-rays), and next of kin and funeral home information.
Learn more about recognizing when patients may meet criteria for referral.
What to Expect Post-Referral
LifeNet Health is responsible for determining medical suitability for organ or tissue donation on a case-by-case basis. A patient’s suitability can change over time based on clinical factors. The information provided by the hospital team can help us make this determination. Important factors include the admission course, labs, vitals, and the plan of care.
If a patient is deemed to be a candidate for organ donation, a LifeNet Health coordinator will be dispatched to your facility. We will work with your team to determine the best way to make contact with the patient’s family or next of kin. Keep in mind, it’s best to let us facilitate discussion about donation. Learn more about best practices for communicating with families.
Communication with LifeNet Health
Our commitment is to keep in close contact with the hospital team, reaching out at least once per shift. We ask that you reach out to us if anything significant changes with the patient, or if the family discusses donation, enacts a Do Not Resuscitate Order, or decides to transition the patient to comfort care.
Facility Orientation and Other Training
We offer ongoing training and education to help hospital staff stay up to date on the latest transplant technology and best practices. As the world’s most trusted provider of transplant solutions, major areas of focus for LifeNet Health include improving outcomes and boosting health equity. Contact our Virginia Hospital Development team to learn more about our education, training, and initiatives – including facility orientation.
You can also sign up for one of our Donation 360 webinars.