title: Perspectives on communication issues among transplant and procurement professionals, transplant recipients, and donor families.
abstract: Communication among professionals, donor families, and transplant recipients is a controversial topic. Traditionally, transplant and procurement professionals have made the decision about the type and frequency of information that a donor family and transplant recipient receive regarding one another, and relationships that might develop as a result. Information obtained through questionnaires demonstrated inconsistency in addressing donor family and transplant recipient needs for initial and follow-up information and communication-not only between clinical transplant and procurement donation coordinators, but within organizations involved in the care and support of these people. This wide variance regarding communication among all disciplines demonstrated a need for standardization of practice guidelines. Guidelines are being developed through collaboration of the major organizations involved in the care of donor families and transplant recipients to standardize communication practices throughout the United States.
authors.affiliation: National Donor Family Council of the National Kidney Foundation New York, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Politoski
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coolican
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Casey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003142:Communication; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D012952:Societies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014019:Tissue Donors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States