Organ sharing network selected kidney transplant centers for study designed to increase kidney utilization
LOUISVILLE (June 22, 2017) – The Trager Transplant Center at Jewish Hospital, part of KentuckyOne Health, has been selected to participate in the second pilot phase of the Collaborative Innovation and Improvement Network (COIIN), a three-year project intended to increase kidney utilization and study new methods of quality monitoring.
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) selected 37 kidney transplant centers from 240 centers nationwide, with Jewish Hospital being the only center chosen in Kentucky. The number of participants in the second cohort is nearly double the number of hospitals selected for the first phase.
“Thirteen individuals die each day while waiting for a life-saving kidney transplant,” said Christopher Jones, MD, University of Louisville Physician, director of liver transplantation at Jewish Hospital and division chief of transplantation at UofL. “So performing kidney transplants is paramount to saving lives. We are honored to be part of a study that will hopefully help more people access kidney transplants.”
Each pilot hospital will create and test improvement aims during successive rapid improvement cycles and can share lessons learned with other study participants on an interactive, virtual learning site. Hospitals can also monitor their improvement in key measures including outcomes, processes, relationships and structures.
Another key aim of the COIIN project is testing potential improvements to the program performance review process. During the study, participants will be exempt from the traditional review of patient and kidney graft survival performed by the OPTN Membership and Professional Standards Committee (MPSC).
They will participate in an alternative, collaborative quality improvement framework to drive improvements in organ offer and acceptance, waitlist management and care coordination.
Training and coaching for pilot participants will begin in July 2017, and the data collection and collaborative learning will begin in October 2017.
“We are pleased to have so many programs who meet the qualifications and are committed to innovative approaches to make more transplants possible,” said David Klassen, MD, chair of the COIIN Advisory Council and UNOS’ Chief Medical Officer. “They will refine and add to lessons learned during the initial pilot phase of the project.”
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