There are hundreds of organizations and individuals seeking to modernize the nation’s organ donation and transplant system, including tech companies, nonprofits, government consulting firms, and university researchers. Legislation signed by President Joe Biden in September 2022 will allow multiple contractors to manage the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) operations for the first time since its creation in 1984.
This attracted nearly 500 individuals and almost 300 organizations to an informational event. Tech stalwarts like Microsoft, Google, and Oracle are looking to be involved in the project, along with smaller diverse technology companies like Truss, Bloom Works, and Nava.
The Health Resources and Services Administration plans to solicit bids for the initial round of contracts on the OPTN modernization project. These efforts aim to improve the technology, oversight, and effectiveness of the OPTN system to better serve the 100,000-plus people on the organ waiting list, while increasing accountability, equity, and efficiency in the way organs are recovered, matched, and transplanted.
Bloom Works aims to make transplant services more accessible to underserved populations, while Nava, a public benefit corporation, plans to work as the general contractor directly with the government. Valeos Transplant Society, a non-profit, has also emerged to champion improved data and technology for the transplant sector participants.
The modernization efforts are expected to focus on five areas: technology, data transparency, governance, operations, and quality improvement and innovation. The federal government has extended UNOS’ OPTN management contract until March 29, 2024, as the contracting process plays out. This process aims to ensure service continuity and increase oversight and accountability while using innovative methods to carry out specific functions.
The goal is to use machine-learning algorithms to speed up the donor organ matching process, giving centers more time to decide on accepting less-than-perfect organs to reduce the number of discarded organs. If adopted, this could potentially target surgeons who would accept organs more quickly while improving patient safety.