Korean J Transplant.  2022 Nov;36(Supple 1):S40. 10.4285/ATW2022.F-1521.

Go-together care programs for living organ donors

• Lee J
• Hong S
• Kwon K
• Shin H

• KMID: 2535212
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4285/ATW2022.F-1521

Abstract

Organ donation itself does not increase the risk of any specific disease or negatively affect life expectancy. However, people can experience severe social pressure to donate when family members are suffered from organ failure. For preparing of organ transplantation, donors must undergo several blood tests, imaging study, in-depth interviews with a social worker, and counseling with a psychiatrist. These result in large mental burden and time investment. Furthermore, after donation, effort is needed by the donor to maintain their health and return to daily life. In response, the Organ Transplant Coordinate Team (OTCT) of Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital operates a special donor-care program to help to maintain donor health through counseling, one-stop care service, and regular follow-up. The donor-care program consists of one-stop study service for pre- and postoperative evaluations, periodic out-patient examination, and coordination of charge and spiritual care. For example, the one-stop donor study service in liver transplant patients assessed donation qualification through rapid examination that provides results within 2 days. The care program also provides periodic face-to-face and phone counseling for donors. Spiritual care is sup-ported by visits from priests or nuns during hospitalization before and after surgery. According to statistics from the Ministry of Health and Welfare published in June 2022, donors for living-transplantation numbered 2,581 in 2020, accounting for 84.4% of the total donors. To achieve successful transplant and management of recipients and donors, personalized care is required throughout the process, and education and support programs are required to ensure good self-management after transplan-tation. Accordingly, Eunpyeong St. Mary's Organ Transplant Hospital supports donors and beneficiaries through the reported program to maintain health throughout the transplant process.