title: Emergency department referral for organ donation: more organ donors and more organs per donor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study sought to determine whether early referral from the emergency department (ED) would increase the number of organ donors and the number of organs transplanted per donor (OTPD).
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective cohort analysis of all patients referred to a single organ procurement organization for a period of 60 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients referred for organ donation evaluation from the ED were more likely to become organ donors than patients referred from the intensive care unit (19.3% vs 5.2%, P < .001). ED referrals had a greater number of OTPD than those referred from the intensive care unit (mean 3.79 vs 3.16, P = .024), even after adjusting for the higher proportion of ED referrals who were trauma patients (P = .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Referral for organ donation from the ED is associated with an increased likelihood of organ recovery and with an increased number of OTPD.
authors.affiliation: Pacific Northwest Transplant Bank, 2611 SW Third Avenue Suite 320, Portland, OR 97201, USA. Electronic address: millerli@ohsu.edu.
authors.forename: Lisabeth D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Devers Eye Institute, Legacy Research Institute, Legacy Health Systems, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Stuart K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Gardiner
authors.affiliation: Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, Trauma Services, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: K Dean
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Gubler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Emergency department; Intensive care unit; Organ donation; Organ transplant; Organs transplanted per donor