Mid-America Transplant Services

Programs: Mid-america's transplant's purpose is to make more lifesaving transplants a reality through the process of organ and tissue donation. We are inspired by the generosity of donors and the courage of transplant patients. The organization has a community-based board of directors that sets policy for the organization and is composed of hospital executives, physicians, donor family members, and other disciplines, including ethics, religion, and law. The chief executive officer directs a leadership team composed of the chief medical officer, chief financial officer, vice presidents, directors, and managers. Mid-america transplant is staffed by more than 150 employees. As partners in the transplant process, we collaborate with medical professionals to improve the donation process. The organization's clinical work includes facilitating the donation process, involving donors, their families, and transplant patients. In 2016, nearly 25,000 death referrals were assessed by mid-america transplant for potential organ and tissue donation. The organization services four transplant centers where heart, kidney, liver, lung, and pancreas transplants are performed; there are currently more than 1,400 people locally awaiting organ transplants. Upon referral by a hospital, the clinical team members provide timely on-site assessment, evaluation, and coordination of potential donors and communicates with the family. Mid-america transplant staff members also generate organ transplant candidate listings on national and local computer systems and oversee allocations of organs. In 2016, gifts given by 180 generous organ donors allowed mid-america transplant to coordinate 551 lifesaving organ transplants. In addition to organ donation, tissue donation is a core component of the organization's mission to save lives. Mid-america transplant coordinates the recovery of tissue, which helps people in need of corneal transplants to restore sight, as well as skin and bone donations to repair injuries. In 2016, through the generosity of 1,662 donors and their families, we helped restore sight, treat disease, and extend life for hundreds of people. Over 1,300 tissue donors provided bone donations that could be used to repair a damaged limb; over 1,200 vision-saving transplants were performed; over 800 skin donations were used to create grafts for patients to treat burns and other wounds; and countless other tissue recoveries that improved the lives of thousands in 2016. Additionally, onsite laboratory services allows mid-america transplant to conduct infectious disease testing more efficiently and maximize the placement of safe organs and tissues. The mid-america transplant building houses a critical care unit with three fully equipped ors where donor management occurs. The key clinical technologies and equipment include x-ray, an echocardiogram, cardiac catheterization capabilities and a ct scanner. Mid-america transplant is inspired to achieve excellence. In 2015, the organization was named a recipient of the malcolm baldrige national quality award. Mid-america adopted in 2005 the baldrige criteria for performance excellence to improve processes and outcomes. Since then, these principles helped the organization increase the number of organs transplanted annually by 100% and increase the number of bone donors by 88%. Aiding the clinical process is the hospital services (hs) staff, which interacts with the area hospitals to provide support and education about the clinical aspects of donation and transplantation. These personnel develop relationships with over 120 hospitals and numerous physicians and nurses. Professional education services provided by the hs staff staff ensure a positive presence in the healthcare community. In 2016, these services included e-newsletters distributed to healthcare professionals containing both clinical and general information about donation and transplantation; hundreds of educational in-services geared about topics related to the organ and tissue donation process; ongoing assistance for hospitals with compliance with state and federal regulations, donation policies within their institutions, and analysis of quantitative and qualitative donation data. Mid-america transplant's efforts to educate hospital staff members about the organ and tissue donation process ensures that appropriate steps are taken when a death is imminent and that all eligible families receive the option to donate. Communication and collaboration in 2016 resulted in 86% of mid-america transplant hospital partners rating their satisfaction with the organization as 10 out of 10. Mid-america transplant is a resource for hope and healing. Its coordinators from the family support services and donor services departments work with families at the time of their loved one's death, offering education, information and support during their decision-making process. Following the donation, the aftercare program serves as a source of information, providing tools to help families with their grief journey and offering specific services, including providing bereavement support materials and workshops, support through remembrance ceremonies and community events, and facilitating communications between families of donors and recipients. In 2016, mid-america transplant served more than 3,000 donor families; handled nearly 600 pieces of donor family/recipient correspondence; honored organ and tissue donors with 800 people at the inaugural mid-america transplant celebrate life 5k run/walk; hosted nearly 600 people at two candlelight memorial ceremonies; provided recipient update information to 288 families, and hosted a private social media group with over 250 members that served as a virtual support group. In honor of those who generously donate their organs or tissue, mid-america transplant presents all donor families with a gift of life donor medal. A strong focus on donor family communication and support resulted in high levels of family satisfaction with mid-america transplant's services in 2016. As reported through survey feedback, 8 out of 10 donor families rated their satisfaction with mid-america transplant as 10 out of 10. Mid-america transplant supports and provides supplies for donor registry drives upon request. This information summarizes critical topics and clearly identifies mid-america transplant's role as a procurement organization and assists with getting the message of organ and tissue donation to students. These materials are also used to spread awareness about donation to the general public, encouraging the community to enroll on their state donor registry. In 2016, mid-america transplant participated in several community events as a way to dispel myths and misconceptions about the donation process and increase donor registry enrollment. Throughout the year, the organization's community education department hosted students for educational tours at its facility. In 2016, mid-america transplant hosted over 50 schools reaching nearly 1,500 students. Mid-america transplant maintains a volunteer program, training individuals who have been personally impacted by donation to serve as ambassadors to the cause by engaging them in opportunities to share their personal story and put a "face" to organ and tissue donation. The volunteer program had 70 members in 2016 whose personal stories were shared through student presentations, staff and partner meetings, online communications, and in printed materials. The organization financially supports its charitable foundation. The mid-america transplant foundation provides support to transplant patients, donor families, and the community. Through education, research, and community partnerships, the foundation seeks to reduce the need for organ and tissue transplantation; increase the availability of organs and tissues; and to improve the lives of recipients and donor families. In 2015, the foundation provided comfortable, safe, and affordable single-family apartment living to 41 transplant patients and their families. It provided $300,000 in grants to organizations that improve the health of our communities through educational programs and advancements in organ and tissue donation and 16 nursing scholarships to support students pursuing critical care nursing careers in st. Louis and springfield, missouri. The foundation also distributed $120,000 through its recipient fund to assist transplant patients with medications, transportation and other services that would otherwise prevent the patients from receiving a lifesaving transplant. It provided $780,000 to research funding for projects seeking to make a difference in the lifesaving impact of organ and tissue donation and transplantation.