University of Wisconsin OPO Hospital Services and Public Relations

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University of Wisconsin OPOHospital Services and
Public Relations

• What works?
• What causes it to work?

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University of Wisconsin OPO

• Hospital based OPO located in Madison, WI
• 78 conversion rate in 2004 and 2005
• 102 Hospitals
• 3.2 Million Population Base
• 18 FTE
• Best practice site for both HRSA Donation
  and Transplantation Collaborative

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Medical School Event

• What worked?
• Week long education for medical students at UW
  during Donate Life Month
• Different perspective each day clinical
  coordinator, donor family and recipient
• What caused it to work?
• Use of volunteer network for professional
  education

Would an organ procurement team encourage the
physician to make an early call if a recipient
badly needed the organ? wondered one student.
"That's how many people nationally who need organ
transplants?" asked an incredulous young man in
the back row of the lecture hall.
It's such a dramatic process," said Jason
Jagodzinski, a first-year student at the
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and
Public Health. "It's like a beautiful orchestra
set into motion."  
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La CrosseApril 6, 2006

• What worked?
• Scheduled Workplace Partnership Luncheon followed
  by a community presentation that evening
• Radio and TV interviews followed
• Impromptu Visit to Gundersens (4th largest donor
  hospital) Executive Leadership Meeting
• What caused it to work?
• Commitment to effective multi-disciplinary
  training for all employees
• HD Teams
• Go Donor Message

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Nursing School Education

• What worked?
• Asked donor hospital liaisons to tell us which
  colleges they recruit critical care nurses from
• Targeted those schools for our education
• What caused it to work?
• Good communication between community and HD staff
  (physical location)
• Strategic thinking within the organization about
  how my job fits in to the mission

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1000th Heart/Lung Transplant Celebration

• What worked?
• Incorporated public education about organ
  donation, lead to national television coverage of
  message
• Included OPO staff in celebration
• What caused it to work?
• Integrated relationship between OPO and
  transplant center
• OPO staff commitment to a seemingly transplant
  center event

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Never doubt that the work of a small group of
thoughtful, committed citizens can change the
world. Indeed, its the only thing that ever
has. Margaret Mead