This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has announced a modernization initiative to strengthen accountability and transparency in the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN).
The initiative includes:
- Data dashboards that detail individual transplant center and organ procurement organization data on organ retrieval, waitlist outcomes, and demographic data.
- Modernization of the OPTN IT system, improving OPTN governance, and increasing transparency and accountability in the system to better serve the needs of patients and families.
- HRSA intends to issue contract solicitations for multiple awards to manage the OPTN to foster competition and independence of the board of directors.
- The president’s fiscal year 2024 (FY) budget proposal more than doubles investment in organ procurement and transplantation.
- The FY 2024 budget also includes a request to Congress to update the nearly 40-year-old National Organ Transplant Act to remove the appropriations cap on the OPTN contract(s). This would allow HRSA to better allocate resources and expand the pool of eligible contract entities to enhance performance and innovation through increased competition.
HRSA has also created an OPTN Modernization web page to keep stakeholders informed about the initiative and provide updates.