LOPA, LCMC Gain More Bedside Time, Potential Saved Lives

Partnership maximizes organ donation opportunities

With a shared commitment to patient-centered care, Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency (LOPA) and LCMC Health have launched a joint platform that is providing more opportunities to save lives and more time bedside for nurses, called iReferral. Since implementing the new process in January, there has been a 46 percent increase in referrals of potential organ donor heroes and 52 hours of previous administrative work freed up for patient care.

“LOPA’s charge to serve our community, our donors and our recipients is held close at heart,” said LOPA CEO Brett Gordon. “This is one of many ways we can improve that service through the use of cutting-edge innovation to acquire efficiencies."

Prior to the launch, nurses would manually call in referrals after making their rounds. Instead, the system now automatically transmits secure electronic communication when clinical triggers are documented thereby removing barriers associated with manual phone referrals. This automated efficiency provides more potential donors and families the opportunity to donate and save lives.

“By making this critical process more reliable and time-sensitive, more donors and families will be provided the opportunity for making life happen through the heroic gift of organ donation,” said Gordon. “We are streamlining workflow, returning provider and nursing time to the patient bedside, improving compliance to federal requirements and maximizing opportunities for donation and transplantation.”

With an average of ten minutes saved by the elimination of manual phone call submission, it is estimated that 52 hours have been returned to nursing staff for patient care bedside just from January-March, according to Trina Goodale, LOPA senior director of the donation referral center. She added that LOPA’s access to information does not change. It is simply made available without manual reporting.

“The immediate and secure electronic delivery of donor referrals made possible through iReferral expedites the donor referral process allowing our LCMC Health care team to spend more time with patients and their families during these often challenging times while also working to secure positive outcomes for transplant recipients,” said Dr. John Heaton, Chief Medical Officer of LCMC Health.

With over 100,000 patients on the nation’s waitlist, and nearly 2,000 in Louisiana awaiting a life-saving organ, LOPA is privileged to facilitate organ, tissue and eye donations for the individuals and families wishing to provide life-saving gifts.

“Our staff is constantly looking for ways to enhance the high-level of care provided to our community and key partner hospitals,” said Gordon. “This successful collaboration was a significant undertaking made possible by the tremendous efforts of our dedicated staff and partners. This achievement is already saving countless hours for those involved in the referral process and will undoubtedly save more lives through organ and tissue donation.”

Last year marked the largest number of lives saved and individuals healed through organ and tissue donation in the state’s history. There were 336 organ donors and 838 tissue donors who gave the gift of life resulting in 997 lifesaving organ transplants and thousands of tissue grafts restoring sight, mobility and health for individuals in Louisiana and across the country. Louisiana’s growing commitment to generosity with organ donation designation and e xpanded use of data, recovery technologies, and clinical systems have combined to result in a 13 percent increase in the total number of organs transplanted last year.

Louisiana residents are always encouraged to make an informed decision on whether or not they would like to be an organ donor and then to inform their family members of their decision. Residents can join the Louisiana Donor Registry through a variety of pathways: in-person at the Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV), online at lopa.org, through the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, or via the LA Wallet App. LCMC Health patients can also register through their patient portal on MyChart, powered by Epic.