Finding Organ Donors Concealed in Plain Sight

Doctors at Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge began piloting the use of new technology in 2015 via a machine called an organ care system (OCS) that allows doctors to restore life to an organ and keep it viable for donation. This technology has now helped doctors increase heart transplantation procedures by 40 percent.

Dean Kamen brought the world the Segway scooter, prosthetic arms controlled by the human brain, the first automatic drug pump (used commonly to deliver insulin to diabetic patients), and now he's built the first organ manufacturing plant. Over 120,000 Americans are currently on a waiting list to receive life-saving organ donations that often don't come in time. Kamen is aiming to change this by mass-producing organs and other tissues with technology that already exists and has been tested in labs all over the world.

Medical professionals say that there is a shortage of organs available for patients awaiting transplants. The first step towards the solution involves increasing awareness of organ donation as a viable and compassionate option. In 2012, the social media platform Facebook collaborated with surgeons to create the Organ Donor option—and, one year later, the number of organ donors increased five times.

In recent years, there has been a decrease in Canadian organ donors but a comprehensive effort by an Ontario hospital is changing that narrative. From increased specialized training for nurses to adding a donation coordinator to morning rounds, Sudbury’s Health Sciences North has become a model for increasing donor rates.

The first of it's kind, a medical drone base has opened in Rwanda that aims to cut down the time it takes to deliver blood from blood banks to hospitals. Serving 21 rural health facilities throughout the region, the approach is also helping put Rwanda on the map as a technology hub.

In 2020, Nigeria's Rural Electrification Agency installed a 50-kilowatt solar-hybrid system at Gombe State Specialist Hospital, providing uninterrupted electricity to critical units, including the ICU and emergency departments. Since its installation, maternal mortality dropped from 15-20 deaths monthly to 1-2 per month, and neonatal deaths also decreased from 50 to 20-25 monthly. The system has also helped healthcare workers perform life-saving surgeries without interruption, as these surgeries were often delayed or impossible due to power outages.

The WhatsApp group SURG Africa and remote Managed Clinical Network connect district hospitals with specialists, like surgeons and anesthesiologists, who can provide support and advice on difficult medical cases. The goal of the group is to improve healthcare services available and increase access to necessary care, specifically in rural areas.

Northwell Health provides telehealth services and support to Ukranian doctors and hospitals in need of assistance during the war as they face an increased need of medical care.

Smile Train is a non-government organization that helps families that are struggling financially to afford cleft lip and palate surgeries for their children in need. Since 2007, Smile Train has successfully paid for 31,000 successful surgeries and has a presence in 45 hospitals across the country.

J Blood Match uses an Artificial Intelligence program-bot embedded into the social media platforms Telegram and Facebook messenger to connect unpaid blood donors to recipients in need.