The Organ Donation Referral Improvement Act, or H.R. 330, is a proposed law that aims to make organ donation more efficient and effective. By using technology to automatically identify potential organ donors, this bill hopes to save more lives and reduce the burden on hospital staff.
What This Bill Does
The Organ Donation Referral Improvement Act is all about using technology to improve how hospitals refer potential organ donors. Right now, many hospitals rely on staff to manually identify and notify organ procurement organizations (OPOs) about potential donors. This bill proposes a study to explore using electronic health records (EHRs) to automate this process.
The bill doesn't change any existing laws but asks the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a national study. This study would look into how electronic systems can automatically identify and refer potential organ donors, which could replace the current manual process. The goal is to find out how this technology can be used nationwide to make organ donation more efficient.
The study will also explore several important factors. It will look at how to remove barriers to using this technology, how much it would cost to install, and how much time it would save hospital staff. Additionally, it will assess the impact on the number of organ donations and identify best practices for using this technology. The study aims to standardize the criteria for referring organ donors across different technologies to encourage broader adoption.
Why It Matters
This bill could have a significant impact on the lives of many Americans. Over 100,000 people are currently on organ transplant waitlists, and every day, 17 people die waiting for a transplant. By ensuring that every potential donor is identified and referred, this bill could help reduce these numbers and save lives.
Hospitals and their staff would also benefit from this bill. By automating the referral process, hospital staff would have more time to focus on patient care instead of administrative tasks. This could lead to better care for all patients, not just those involved in organ donation.
The bill also has the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of organ procurement organizations. With automated referrals, these organizations could receive more timely and accurate information about potential donors, allowing them to act more quickly and effectively.
Key Facts
- Cost/Budget Impact: There is no Congressional Budget Office score available, but the study is expected to have minimal federal cost.
- Timeline for Implementation: The bill was introduced on October 2, 2024. If passed, the study would begin upon funding, with no fixed completion date.
- Number of People Affected: Over 100,000 people on organ transplant waitlists could benefit, along with hospital staff and organ procurement organizations.
- Key Dates: Introduced in the House on October 2, 2024, and referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
- Other Important Details: The bill has bipartisan support and is backed by 31 organizations, including major health and transplant groups.
Arguments in Support
- Increases organ availability: Automation ensures that every potential donor is identified and referred, which could reduce the number of people who die waiting for a transplant.
- Reduces human error: By automating the referral process, the risk of mistakes or oversights is minimized, leading to more accurate and timely referrals.
- Saves time and costs: Hospitals could save time and resources by automating the referral process, allowing staff to focus on patient care.
- Promotes national improvements: The study would identify best practices and standardization, helping to improve organ donation processes across the country.
- Modernizes outdated systems: The bill replaces manual notifications with modern technology, making the process more efficient and reliable.
Arguments in Opposition
- There are no recorded arguments against this bill. It has broad support and faces no documented opposition, possibly due to its focus on studying potential improvements rather than mandating changes.