The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has selected Arbor Research Collaborative for Health (Arbor Research) as one of 14 organizations who will lead the modernization of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Arbor Research received one of the five initial efforts, focusing on improving patient safety and policy compliance systems and processes overseen by the OPTN Board of Directors and the Membership and Professional Standards Committee to improve oversight of the multiple entities in the OPTN.

Arbor Research will use its considerable research and evaluation expertise to address issues facing the current organ transplantation system. By increasing transparency and improving business processes, Arbor Research will support HRSA efforts to modernize and improve the national organ transplant system.

“Arbor Research is committed to leveraging our substantial expertise and experience to transform the organ transplantation landscape,” said Christopher Spera, PhD, President and CEO of Arbor Research. “Our work will focus on increasing efficiency, reducing disparities, and improving outcomes for patients using human-centered design and data-driven methodologies.”

The timing of this OPTN initiative is crucial. Despite advances, organ shortages and inefficiencies in organ allocation persist. There were 104,047 people waiting for an organ transplant at the beginning of this month. Additionally, there are inequities in access to organ transplants; for example, only 12% of dialysis patients were on kidney transplant waitlists in 2021.

“We recognize the critical need to support transformation of the organ donation and transplantation system to better serve all patients. The award allows us to bring our expertise in research, evaluation, and human-centered design to modernize the OPTN and address persistent inequities, particularly for underserved populations,” says David Dickinson, Vice President of Information at Arbor Research.

“We are excited to work with HRSA to modernize the nation’s organ transplantation system,” said Jeffrey Pearson, PhD, Program Director for Health Policy and Practice at Arbor Research. “Our initial focus on improving the patient safety and policy compliance systems for OPTN members – including transplant centers and organ procurement organizations – is a critical first step in this modernization effort. We’re pleased to bring together a team that has expertise in developing and implementing quality measurement and improvement programs, process mapping and re-engineering, and deep subject matter expertise in organ transplantation.”

Arbor Research’s role in this transformation is supported by collaborations with renowned partners, including Ad Hoc, Clemson University, GDIT, Healthcare Management Solutions, L&M Policy Research, Nava, NORC, and Northeastern University. Together, they bring a wealth of expertise in business process reengineering, data acquisition, audits, special studies, and human-centered design.