Ten months into its operation, the province’s $2 million specialist in end-of-life care, neuroprognostication and donation program (SEND) is helping ensure more opportunities for organ donation are being realized in the province, Minister of Health Jason Copping said during a press conference in Calgary Monday.
Alberta completed more than 400 organ transplants and more than 2,600 tissues were released for transplant or surgical reconstruction in 2021, according to Alberta Health.
“We have already seen early success in the first six months of our program," said Dr. Andreas Kramer, medical director, Southern Alberta Organ and Tissue Donation Program. "In 2021 we had more organ donors and performed more kidney transplants in southern Alberta than ever before.
"We have seen an increment in the number of referrals from hospitals outside of Calgary which we think is in large part attributable to the presence of SEND physicians in communities like Lethbridge and Red Deer.”
Under the SEND program 22 specialist physicians have been trained and are now working in intensive care units and emergency rooms to coordinate organ donation rates and transplant opportunities.
The physicians are helping to improve identification of potential donors while supporting families considering consent, said Health Minister Jason Copping.
“SEND funding for recruitment, training and coordination to find new opportunities for organ donors to save lives,” said Copping. “We are taking actions to improve the donation and transplant system.
“Through this program donation and transplant opportunities are being coordinated throughout the province to increase donation and ultimately save more lives.”
The three-year program, which launched in July 2021, also reviews patient records of people who die in emergency departments and ICUs “to improve understanding of why donors may be missed or do not donate. This will inform further changes that may be needed,” he said.
More specialists will be joining the SEND program in the next 12 to 18 months, he said.
Prior to the program northern and southern Alberta each had a medical director who functioned as donation specialist physicians.
“Transplantation is the optimal means of treating many patients with end-stage kidney, liver, lung or heart disease,” said Kramer. “For many, a transplant is a life-procedure and for others it greatly enhances their overall wellbeing. Sadly, there are others yet who never receive the organ they so desperately need.
“The SEND program will promote excellence and growing expertise in care of potential donors. It is our hope that the program will help foster a strong culture of organ and tissue donation in Alberta.”
The SEND program will “ensure excellence in all aspects of patient care that are related to donation. It is about creating a culture of donation,” he said.
During Monday’s press conference, Shannon Viczko, the mother of deceased organ donor Sloane Viczko, called on Albertans to consider registering to become organ donors.
