• Probation ended for Baptist Memorial Hospital
  Monday, December 5, 2016
  The board had placed the hospital on probation in October 2014 to address concerns relating to a pattern of lower-than-expected patient and graft survival rates at its heart transplant program. More recent outcomes for heart recipients transplanted at the hospital have shown improvement.
  

• OPTN/UNOS Board approves revised adult heart allocation system, clarifies exception points for liver transplant candidates with hepatocellular carcinoma
  Monday, December 5, 2016
  The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors, at its meeting Dec. 5 and 6 in St. Louis, approved a major update of the system used to allocate hearts for adult transplant candidates nationwide. In other action, the Board approved policy changes to refine automatic approval of exception points for liver transplant candidates with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a form of liver cancer.
  

• At one year anniversary, HOPE Act impact continuing to be assessed
  Monday, November 21, 2016
  As of November 18, 2016, 19 transplants (13 kidney and six liver transplants) have been performed involving organs from HIV-positive donors for HIV-positive recipients.
  

• Webinar recording available on improving post-transplant communication
  Wednesday, November 16, 2016
  Policy changes are effective September 1, 2016; updates in special pathogens list effective December 1, 2016.
  

• Committee continues review of input on liver distribution issues
  Thursday, November 3, 2016
  The committee will further review various solutions to address geographic disparities in liver distribution, with the goal of developing a revised proposal for public comment in the near future.
  

• Hospitals chosen for initial phase of COIIN pilot
  Tuesday, October 18, 2016
  COIIN is a three-year project intended to increase kidney utilization and study new methods of quality monitoring.
  

• New opo best practices video available
  Friday, October 14, 2016
  Two OPOs in Region 4 share how using the Dual Advocacy® method helped them increase the number of organs available for transplant.
  

• University of Pittsburgh Medical Center released from probation
  Friday, September 30, 2016
  The board restored full member privileges for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
  

• OPTN compliance elearning module available on UNOS Connect
  Friday, September 30, 2016
  The module offers solutions to help prevent common OPTN policy violations identified by UNOS site surveyors.
  

• Combined transplant program site surveys coming soon
  Monday, September 12, 2016
  We are making changes in an effort to make the process easier and more efficient for members.
  

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