Indiana Donor Network hits new record
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The Indiana Donor Network hit another record for organ transplants in 2022. The federally-designated organ recovery organization said Monday it facilitated a total of 1,116 transplants last year, up 18% over the previous year’s total of 949.
“I’m proud to say we’re on the right trajectory and the future is bright for Indiana Donor Network,” CEO Kellie Tremain said in written remarks. “We are dedicated to investing in cutting-edge technology, new and innovative processes and highly skilled professionals across all disciplines for those in need of lifesaving transplants.”
In an interview with Inside INdiana Business, Chief Operating Officer Steve Johnson said the generosity of Hoosiers and technological advances contributed to the record numbers.
“Hoosiers are more now than ever signing up to the heroes, donor heroes,” Johnson said. “And really, the work that the organization is doing, collaborating with our hospital partners, collaborating and educating out in the community, and just frankly, Hoosiers wanting to be heroes and being organ donors is what’s making this impact.”
The organization recovered 563 organs, as well as 14,392 tissues in 2022, including 141 hearts for valve transplant, 3,701 skin grafts and 382 corneas.
“We see people every day getting to spend another day with their families, another day with their friends, and it’s just such a special gift that people are giving,” Johnson said. “And the impact of that…we can’t stress enough what an amazing gift that is.”
The Indiana Donor Network also spent last year training in advanced perfusion technology, which it says has the potential to keep donated livers functioning outside the human body for up to 24 hours.
The organization partnered with the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, the University of Chicago, Northwestern University and Rutgers’ University Hospital for a trial study on the use of a liver transporter.
Donated livers can only remain outside of the body for 12 hours once packed in a traditional cold storage device, according to the network. Once the liver transporter is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the organization plans to deploy it for use in liver transplants at all of the transplant centers it serves.
“There’s no one way to solve our need for organs,” said Johnson. “There are all kinds of issues that go into it. But certainly technology plays a part and the technology advancements that we are seeing and working to help develop and being able to preserve organs outside of the body for longer periods of time, gives us better opportunities to place those with someone who is in life saving need of that organ.”
The organization’s team is already using similar technology for kidney donations. Last year, 10 kidney perfusion pumps were used for 622 successful transplant surgeries.
About 960,000 Indiana residents also signed up to become organ donors, marking a record for registrations in one year. More than 4.3 million Hoosiers are currently registered donors.
“The need for more people to make the selfless decision to one day become a donor hero remains incredibly important,” Tremain said. “Working with our hospital and transplant center partners throughout Indiana and beyond, we remain laser focused on saving more lives each year through donation and transplantation, educating more Hoosiers about how important donation is, and encouraging Indiana residents to say ‘yes’ to donation.”
The Indiana Donor Network also hired 45 new employees, bringing its total headcount to 284. The organization said it now has its largest staff since its founding in 1987.