Purpose: The purpose of this study was to establish a direct hospital-based referral program at a Level II Trauma donor hospital to expand the opportunity of birth tissue donation to mothers delivering via cesarean.
Methods: The method that was established to meet this goal started with a collaborative effort of internal departments within the OPO, which consisted of Hospital Services, Tissue Services, and Donation Services. Collaboratively the teams identified the correct timing and process of implementation for a direct hospital-based referral program. The implementation of a direct hospital referral program changes the OPO’s previous Obstetric-centric referral model to a hospital-based model. This allowed for the OPO to identify proper processes of implementation that would coincide with the growth of the program through this new referral pathway. The OPO’s Labor and Delivery Donation Liaison (Liaison) met with key hospital stakeholders prior to the implementation of the program, many of which included key hospital physicians. The OPO’s Liaison collaborated with the hospital’s Labor and Delivery leadership to implement a direct hospital referral program that would benefit mothers delivering via cesarean and increase birth tissue referral and acquisition rates. The referral process included hospital staff members inquiring of mothers on day of delivery if they are interested in the altruistic donation opportunity, and then referring interested patients to the OPO for assessment and consent completion. At time of cesarean, the OPO provided a birth tissue technician to acquire the delivered placenta and attached umbilical cord for transplantation. Following successful acquisition, the OPO’s Liaison provides donation outcome information and debriefs with involved hospital team members. Ongoing educational initiatives with associated Obstetricians and unit staff provide a foundation for knowledge and partnership.
Results: Since the implementation of a direct hospital-based birth tissue referral program there have been significant positive outcomes identified. Knowledge and understanding of birth tissue donation in the OPO’s service area has increased, as well as unit staff and physician buy-in to the program. In the first month of implementation, this donor hospital observed more acquisitions than our other referring partners combined.
Conclusion: Due to the success of this program’s implementation, additional hospital-based referral programs will be initiated in the coming year. The reach of a hospital-based birth tissue program allows for more Obstetricians to be involved in the donation process, resulting in more champions for donation and more donor heroes through the cesarean delivery process.