2023 Innovations
Revolutionizing and Expediting Lifesaving Organ & Tissue Transport
In 2023, Donor Alliance joined the Matador Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) Consortium to explore the possibility of leveraging advanced drone technology to quickly transport lifesaving organs across long distances between rural hospitals and hospitals where transplants occur. Currently, OPOs leverage both commercial and private ground and air transportation services for safe delivery of donated organs and tissue. The initiative is working in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration to build a corridor to ensure airspace for drone travel, which will be another tool used by OPOs to transport lifesaving organs and other timely medical needs.
“Nearly 1,500 people in Colorado and Wyoming are currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant,” said Jennifer Prinz, president and CEO of Donor Alliance. “In our mission to save and heal lives through organ and tissue donation and transplantation, Donor Alliance is committed to exploring innovation that can help us honor donors’ gifts in rural communities and save and heal recipients in a safe and timely manner.”
A Silent Hero: The Role of Seamless Data Transfer in Lives Saved and Healed
Donor Alliance is regularly implementing changes to make the donation and transplantation system in Colorado and Wyoming even better. To invest in tools and technology to increase lifesaving potential, Donor Alliance adopted the Copernicus Import solution in 2023. This implementation accelerates the transfer of critical donor information, reducing the need for manual entry. Electronic referrals have been shown to save time in the organ donation process. The implementation also features a cutting-edge automated paging system, ensuring immediate response to time-critical organ referrals based on region and schedule. This multifaceted approach aligns with our mission to continuously improve and save more lives through streamlined and technologically advanced practices.