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To increase the availability of organs and tissues for transplant, The Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS; formerly known as HCFA) published a final rule on regulations regarding the identification of potential organ, tissue, and eye donors.   

Essentially this rule, which became law in August 1998, requires that VCUHS meet the following Conditions of Participation to continue to receive Medicare and Medicaid funding:

• Routine referral of ALL deaths.  LifeNet (VCUHS’s organ procurement organization) should to be notified of every patient death, to evaluate whether the patient meets the criteria for organ, tissue and/or eye donation.  In accordance with hospital policy, the Family Communication Coordinator (FCC Chaplain) should be contacted on pager 6194 for all patients with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 4 or less.

• Only an organ procurement agency professional (LifeNet coordinator) or a designated requestor trained in a program approved by LifeNet will approach families about donation options

Do you have questions or want more information on organ donation? Contact LifeNet at 1-800-847-7831