title: Can eye donation rates be increased in hospitals: a pilot study in a tertiary care hospital in North India?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a huge need to increase the corneal donation rates worldwide. The tertiary care hospitals can play a pivotal role in this as these hospitals manage a large number of terminally sick patients. Traditionally the thrust of such hospitals is providing specialized medical care and something like eye donation does not get the attention it deserves. In this scenario, can such institutes contribute to increase eye donation rates?
  
  
  METHODS
  An intervention involving all the main stakeholders in promoting eye donation, namely nurses, counsellors & the management of the institute, was put into place. The results of this intervention, i.e. the corneas procured by the institute, was measured over a post intervention period of one year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study showed a significant increase in the number of corneas procured by the institute post intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hospitals can play a huge role in meeting the demand for corneas by scientifically implementing cornea retrieval programs. The study shows that by using technology & providing a dynamic leadership, hospitals can augment corneal donation rates.
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh 160012, India. Electronic address: anax.navin@gmail.com.
authors.forename: N U
authors.initials: NU
authors.lastname: Pandey
authors.affiliation: PGIMER, Chandigarh, India. Electronic address: anil1031@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: PGIMER, Chandigarh, India. Electronic address: aronkjain@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.affiliation: PGIMER, Chandigarh, India. Electronic address: drvipinkoushal@gmail.com.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Koushal
authors.affiliation: PGIMER, Chandigarh, India. Electronic address: bindra.naveen@pgimer.edu.in.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bindra
authors.affiliation: PGIMER, Chandigarh, India. Electronic address: lakrajiwan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Minz
mesh_terms: D003315:Cornea; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Effective leadership; Promoting eye donation; Role of hospital management; Use of technology