AUTHOR=Alvarez-Marquez Antonia José , Huet Jesus , Pérez-Villares José Miguel , Daga-Ruiz Domingo , Diaz-Aunión Concepción , Castro de la Nuez Pablo , Cuende Natividad 

TITLE=Meeting the Shortage of Human Cells and Tissues: The Andalusian Quality Assurance Programme for Tissue Donation

JOURNAL=Transplant International

VOLUME=Volume 37 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontierspartnerships.org/journals/transplant-international/articles/10.3389/ti.2024.12627

DOI=10.3389/ti.2024.12627

ISSN=1432-2277

ABSTRACT=A quality assurance programme for the tissue donation process was launched in Andalusia in 2020 to facilitate the integration of tissue donation into end-of-life care, and to respond to the growing need for human tissue for therapeutic purposes. 
After identifying the hospital departments in which to intensify the detection of tissue donors, expanding training and designing a specific data collection system for possible tissue donors who do not donate their tissues, donation activity results were quantified and the causes of non-donation were analysed by applying the critical pathway for deceased tissue donation methodology.
The number of tissue donors increased by 48.4% in 2022 compared to 2019. From the eligible donors, 83% were actual tissue donors and 71% were utilised donors. The modifiable causes of tissue donation loss were family refusal, followed by organisational or logistical issues, failure to notify or failure to identify possible donors, and failure to complete donor evaluation. As a result to the collaboration of the various professionals involved in the programme, tissue donation activity has increased significantly, the potential and effectiveness of the donation process has been evaluated, and areas for improvement have been identified, which we hope will lead to continuous improvement of the process.