Working Together to Save Lives
Collaborative Donation Process
Nebraska Organ Recovery System (NORS) vigorously supports the concept of "Hospital Ownership of Organ Donation" when this ownership is a part of a collaborative effort to enhance donation awareness and support among hospital staff. To this end, the nurses and healthcare professionals of NORS provide the hospital the resources it needs to ensure all staff are educated in the need for, value of, and current practice of donation and transplantation.
In the spirit of collaboration, NORS works closely with your hospital to help you provide quality care and personal attention to families facing the death of a loved one. The following information will help orient you to the nature and extent of our collaborative relationship.
What Are OPOs?
Not-for-profit Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs), like NORS, are federally designated by The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to serve specific regions of the country and were established to:
- Educate the public about benefits of organ donation and transplantation
- Recover, preserve and distribute donated organs
- Increase the availability of organs for transplantation
- Support, promote and assist tissue donation
Medicare Conditions of Participation
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has included in its Conditions of
Participation a requirement that all hospitals refer all deaths and imminent deaths to the local OPO in a timely manner.
Hospitals are reviewed for compliance by Joint Commission and Medicare. To help ensure the hospital
performs well in this review, NORS staff prepares a review of the hospital's donation process by reviewing the hospital's medical records. NORS then shares with you any opportunities for
improvement, both to avoid any future survey challenges with CMS and Joint Commission and to help you help your families in crisis.
Hospital /OPO Collaboration
Hospitals and OPOs work together to:
- Educate hospital staff on the donation process
- Ensure potential donors receive appropriate and aggressive treatment to allow the opportunity for organ and tissue donation
- Present families of deceased patients with organ and tissue donation options
- Manage the potential donor while testing and placement are performed
- Review death records
Why is Collaboration So Important?
Working together is the only way we can prevent the harmful and untimely request for consent, help the family have the opportunity for organ and tissue donation, and maintain the viability of organs upon the death of the donor.
Who Is Nebraska Organ Recovery (NORS)?
NORS is certified by CMS to facilitate the donation and transplantation process within the entire state of Nebraska as well as Pottawattamie County in Iowa. NORS collaborates with approximately 95 area hospitals and the county coroners to provide donation-related services, including:
- Supporting potential donor families in their time of loss
- Coordinating the recovery of all medically suitable organs and tissues for transplant
- Ensure organs are effectively placed with 2 regional and many national transplant centers
Additionally, NORS provides after care support to donor families and educates the diverse
communities of Nebraska about organ and tissue donation and transplantation.