Background: Organ donation are critical components of modern healthcare, that require high operational efficiency and quality control. China, in particular, has seen substantial growth in its organ donation program, contributing to the global increase in deceased organ donations. However, with a low per million population (PMP) rate of 4.8, there is considerable room for improvement in operational efficiency and quality. This study aims to address these challenges by developing an novel information technology solution to enhance the efficiency and quality of organ donation processes on a regional basis.
Methods: An integrated medical informatics system was developed to create a provincial organ donation collaborative network. The system includes a paper-free documentation process, network building, performance and quality control, team training, and scientific research. Various terminal applications (HTML5, WeChat mini program, APP, and PC) were designed to cater to different roles in the organ donation process. The system incorporates real-time monitoring, comprehensive archives management, and intelligent data collection methods such as speech recognition and OCR technology. Additionally, the system supports telemedicine decision-making, online ethical review, and intelligent office management.
Results: The informatics platform has been co - developed with Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) since 2016. Currently, it encompasses 4 OPOs across 4 provinces and involves over 400 medical staff members from more than 150 donor hospitals. The number of deceased donors has risen from fewer than 120 to 250, marking a 110% increase over a span of 4 years. Additionally, there has been a notable 10% rise in the number of organs retrieved per donor. In 2024, the number of organs transplanted per donor reached 3.5, and the organ utilization rate stood at 94%. This platform has showcased enhanced operational efficiency, improved data management capabilities, and better coordination throughout the organ donation process.
Conclusions: The use of novel information technology in organ donation procedures has significantly improved efficacy and safety, as evidenced by the positive results demonstrated in this study. The intelligent management platform has not only enhanced the efficiency and quality of organ donation processes but has also contributed to an increase in the number of potential donors and organ utilization rates. Future studies will focus on evaluating the cost-efficiency of these technologies to further optimize their application in organ donation management.