Best Practices for Hospital-Based Donor Care Unit Operations: Part 2

Emily A. Vail; Varun K. Goyal; Ashley C. McGinity; Todd Sarge; Julie K. Heimbach; Arthur R. Mielke; Allison J. Tompeck; Carolina B. Maciel; Katharina M. Busl; Thomas M. Leventhal; Devang K. Sanghavi; Rishi Kumar; Philip M. Sommer; Kim M. Olthoff; Niels D. Martin; Samuel T. Windham; Rita N. Bakhru

doi:10.1016/j.chstcc.2025.100144

Best Practices for Hospital-Based Donor Care Unit Operations: Part 2

Emily A. Vail, Varun K. Goyal, Ashley C. McGinity, Todd Sarge, Julie K. Heimbach, Arthur R. Mielke, Allison J. Tompeck, Carolina B. Maciel, Katharina M. Busl, Thomas M. Leventhal, Devang K. Sanghavi, Rishi Kumar, Philip M. Sommer, Kim M. Olthoff, Niels D. Martin, Samuel T. Windham, Rita N. Bakhru

Medicine - Gastro, Hepatology, Nutrition Division

Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review

Abstract

United States organ procurement organizations increasingly are centralizing the management and recovery of organs from deceased donors into dedicated donor care units (DCUs) with growing evidence of effectiveness. This paradigm shift offers logistical advantages, but introduces new considerations for intensivists responsible for the safe, effective, and efficient management of deceased potential organ donors. In this How I Do It article, intensivist leaders of 12 US DCUs collaborating in the Donor Care Unit Network for Optimizing Recovery group describe best practices for delivering care and organ recovery from deceased donors after brain death and circulatory death in hospital-based donor care units. Specific considerations include donor transfers, clinical donor management, performance assessment, and quality improvement.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	100144
Journal	CHEST Critical Care
Volume	3
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chstcc.2025.100144
State	Published - Jun 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Authors

Keywords

critical care management
donation after brain death
donation after circulatory death
donor care unit
intensivist
organ donation

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10.1016/j.chstcc.2025.100144License: CC BY

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Vail, E. A., Goyal, V. K., McGinity, A. C., Sarge, T., Heimbach, J. K., Mielke, A. R., Tompeck, A. J., Maciel, C. B., Busl, K. M., Leventhal, T. M., Sanghavi, D. K., Kumar, R., Sommer, P. M., Olthoff, K. M., Martin, N. D., Windham, S. T., & Bakhru, R. N. (2025). Best Practices for Hospital-Based Donor Care Unit Operations: Part 2. CHEST Critical Care, 3(2), Article 100144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chstcc.2025.100144

Vail, EA, Goyal, VK, McGinity, AC, Sarge, T, Heimbach, JK, Mielke, AR, Tompeck, AJ, Maciel, CB, Busl, KM, Leventhal, TM, Sanghavi, DK, Kumar, R, Sommer, PM, Olthoff, KM, Martin, ND, Windham, ST & Bakhru, RN 2025, 'Best Practices for Hospital-Based Donor Care Unit Operations: Part 2', CHEST Critical Care, vol. 3, no. 2, 100144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chstcc.2025.100144

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title = "Best Practices for Hospital-Based Donor Care Unit Operations: Part 2",

abstract = "United States organ procurement organizations increasingly are centralizing the management and recovery of organs from deceased donors into dedicated donor care units (DCUs) with growing evidence of effectiveness. This paradigm shift offers logistical advantages, but introduces new considerations for intensivists responsible for the safe, effective, and efficient management of deceased potential organ donors. In this How I Do It article, intensivist leaders of 12 US DCUs collaborating in the Donor Care Unit Network for Optimizing Recovery group describe best practices for delivering care and organ recovery from deceased donors after brain death and circulatory death in hospital-based donor care units. Specific considerations include donor transfers, clinical donor management, performance assessment, and quality improvement.",

keywords = "critical care management, donation after brain death, donation after circulatory death, donor care unit, intensivist, organ donation",

author = "Vail, \{Emily A.\} and Goyal, \{Varun K.\} and McGinity, \{Ashley C.\} and Todd Sarge and Heimbach, \{Julie K.\} and Mielke, \{Arthur R.\} and Tompeck, \{Allison J.\} and Maciel, \{Carolina B.\} and Busl, \{Katharina M.\} and Leventhal, \{Thomas M.\} and Sanghavi, \{Devang K.\} and Rishi Kumar and Sommer, \{Philip M.\} and Olthoff, \{Kim M.\} and Martin, \{Niels D.\} and Windham, \{Samuel T.\} and Bakhru, \{Rita N.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Authors",

year = "2025",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1016/j.chstcc.2025.100144",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "3",

journal = "CHEST Critical Care",

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AU - Vail, Emily A.

AU - Goyal, Varun K.

AU - McGinity, Ashley C.

AU - Sarge, Todd

AU - Heimbach, Julie K.

AU - Mielke, Arthur R.

AU - Tompeck, Allison J.

AU - Maciel, Carolina B.

AU - Busl, Katharina M.

AU - Leventhal, Thomas M.

AU - Sanghavi, Devang K.

AU - Kumar, Rishi

AU - Sommer, Philip M.

AU - Olthoff, Kim M.

AU - Martin, Niels D.

AU - Windham, Samuel T.

AU - Bakhru, Rita N.

PY - 2025/6

Y1 - 2025/6

N2 - United States organ procurement organizations increasingly are centralizing the management and recovery of organs from deceased donors into dedicated donor care units (DCUs) with growing evidence of effectiveness. This paradigm shift offers logistical advantages, but introduces new considerations for intensivists responsible for the safe, effective, and efficient management of deceased potential organ donors. In this How I Do It article, intensivist leaders of 12 US DCUs collaborating in the Donor Care Unit Network for Optimizing Recovery group describe best practices for delivering care and organ recovery from deceased donors after brain death and circulatory death in hospital-based donor care units. Specific considerations include donor transfers, clinical donor management, performance assessment, and quality improvement.

AB - United States organ procurement organizations increasingly are centralizing the management and recovery of organs from deceased donors into dedicated donor care units (DCUs) with growing evidence of effectiveness. This paradigm shift offers logistical advantages, but introduces new considerations for intensivists responsible for the safe, effective, and efficient management of deceased potential organ donors. In this How I Do It article, intensivist leaders of 12 US DCUs collaborating in the Donor Care Unit Network for Optimizing Recovery group describe best practices for delivering care and organ recovery from deceased donors after brain death and circulatory death in hospital-based donor care units. Specific considerations include donor transfers, clinical donor management, performance assessment, and quality improvement.

KW - critical care management

KW - donation after brain death

KW - donation after circulatory death

KW - donor care unit

KW - intensivist

KW - organ donation

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JO - CHEST Critical Care

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ER -

Best Practices for Hospital-Based Donor Care Unit Operations: Part 2

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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