title: Standardized protocols increase organ and tissue donation rates in the neurocritical care unit.
abstract: The authors tested the effect of uncoupling and removal of the treating physician from organ and tissue donation requests on consent rates for donation in the neurocritical care unit. After a neurointensivist-led policy change, consent rates increased from 23.1 to 36.5% (odds ratio = 1.9, p = 0.01), whereas there was no change in other hospital units. This supports such a policy change and shows a positive effect of a neurointensivist on organ and tissue procurement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Helms
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Torbey
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hacein-Bey
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chyba
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Varelas
mesh_terms: D001926:Brain Death; D016265:Conflict of Interest; D003469:Culture; D006282:Health Personnel; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D009042:Motivation; D016134:Organizational Policy; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020458:Third-Party Consent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D014019:Tissue Donors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data