Korean J Transplant.  2023 Nov;37(Suppl 1):S93. 10.4285/ATW2023.F-6757.

A study on donation activities of Korea Organ Donation Agency coordinators during the epidemic period

• Kwon J
• Kim M
• Lee Y
• Chu M
• Lee J
• Moon I

• KMID: 2551680
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4285/ATW2023.F-6757

Abstract

Background
The purpose of the study was to investigate the changes in organ donation resulting from the altered activities of Korea Organ Donation Agency (KODA) coordinators during the pandemic. Due to restrictions on visitations and travel, medical professionals were unable to conduct face-to-face meetings with potential organ donors and their families. Thus, the study aimed to analyze the number of organ donors in affiliated medical institutions and nonaffiliated medical institutions (HOPO) during the pandemic, based on data from KODA statistics from January 2019 to December 2022.
Methods
The study found that KODA coordinators used several methods to prevent the spread of infection, such as remote communication for consent, consent in nonmedical locations, and collaboration with coordinators from other regions. The number of remote consents increased each year, with the highest number in 2021. KODA-affiliated medical institutions showed a steady increase in organ donation over the study period, while the number of organ donations from HOPO decreased sharply each year.
Results
In conclusion, the study revealed that the pandemic had some impact on organ donation in Korea, but KODA coordina-tors adapted their activities to ensure the safety of potential donors and their families.
Conclusions
The study also showed that KODA-affiliated medical institutions had a higher number of organ donations than nonaffiliated medical institutions, indicating the importance of collaboration between medical institutions and KODA coordina-tors for successful organ donation.