Introduction: The Organ Donation Innovative Strategies for Southeast Asia (ODISSeA) project was developed in response to the low organ donation and transplantation rates in the region. Conducted between 2020 and 2021 across eight universities in Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand, the program aimed to strengthen clinical competencies, promote hospital-level policy changes, and foster sustainable professional development. In 2025, a follow-up study was conducted to assess the long-term impact of the training on participants and their institutions.
Methodology: A blended postgraduate program on organ donation was co-developed and delivered from 2019 to 2021 by a consortium of eight Southeast Asian universities and four European institutions. A train-the-trainers model was first implemented, followed by the training of healthcare through combining online modules, local seminars, international webinars, and on-the-job improvement projects. A total of 260 healthcare professionals completed the program. In 2025, a structured survey was administered to all graduates to evaluate clinical application, institutional change, and perceived training influence across multiple domains.
Results: Out of 260 graduates, 71 completed the follow-up survey (27.3% response rate). The majority were clinical professionals working in ICU, emergency, neurology, or transplant-related fields. Overall, 73.2% of respondents reported achieving policy improvements at the hospital level, and 80.3% reported enhancements in clinical practices. The most commonly reported improvements were donor screening and brain death diagnosis (both 56.3%), followed by family interviews (45.1%) and transplant unit organization (33.8%). Country-level differences were observed, with the Philippines and Malaysia consistently reporting the highest impact. Participants with strong institutional support were significantly more likely to report improvements in both policy (85.5% vs. 31.3%, p < 0.001) and practice (87.3% vs. 50.0%, p = 0.001). Furthermore, 64.8% of respondents reported training colleagues post-program, indicating a multiplier effect.
Conclusion: Four years after completion, the ODISSeA training has demonstrated sustained influence across clinical, institutional, and educational domains. The program empowered participants to implement changes within their immediate professional settings, with the strongest outcomes observed in hospital-level policies and donor care practices. The ripple effect of peer training further amplifies the program’s reach. While systemic policy or legislative changes were less frequently reported, findings underscore the importance of aligning training with institutional readiness and national strategies. These results affirm the enduring value of targeted, context-sensitive education programs in strengthening organ donation systems in Southeast Asia.