title: Organ donation and transplantation as health programs in Italy.
abstract: Organ and tissue donation and transplantation have a role in public health programs as organizational projects designed by public health departments to increase the quality and number of donations and transplantations. These programs serve as communication projects to inform public opinion on cerebral death, organ and tissue shortages, procurement and allocation rules, and the quality of life of transplanted patients. The health department of Emilia-Romagna created a regional law and a multimedia communication program for these purposes, resulting in a 95% increase of cadaver donor in 4 years. In 1995, regional activity reached the European mean level and afterwards surpassed it. In 1997, the bone bank was activated, followed in 1998 by the heart valve and vascular segment bank. The regional health department now considers transplant activities a primary goal; human and professional relations between intensive care units and the transplant reference center are considered crucial; cooperation among health departments, medical teams involved in organ procurement and transplant activities has been fostered, and the local coordination network has been active and efficient. The public information campaign has proven important in providing information both to professionals and citizens.
authors.affiliation: Transplant Reference Center, Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Venturoli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Venturi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taddei
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ridolfi
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Pugliese
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petrini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monti
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martinelli
mesh_terms: D015276:Health Care Rationing; D006266:Health Education; D006285:Health Planning; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D016377:Organ Transplantation; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012041:Regional Medical Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014019:Tissue Donors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000458:organization & administration*