Contents

Introduction

TransplantNet (TNet) is an user-friendly, free-to-use website that safely processes correspondence between transplant recipients and donor families. It was designed to make the correspondence process more convenient and clear to everyone involved — recipients, donor families, and coordinators at OPOs and transplant centers.

You can go to our about page for general information about the background, purpose, and services of TransplantNet.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Have more questions? Ready to adopt TNet at your OPO or transplant center? Send us an email at gro.tentnalpsnart@nimda.

More Details: TNet Process Overview

  1. Transplant recipients and donor families create an account in our user portal if they wish to correspond with the other end of their gift of life electronically. Upon registration, transplant recipients must indicate their transplant center and donor families must indicate their OPO.
  2. They may then compose their electronic letters, with the guidance of instructions and suggestions provided on our website. Users also have the option to allow TNet administrators to publish their letters (with any and all information about the intended recipient removed) on the TNet main website, in the hope that their words will help move readers to become registered donors.
  3. Once sent, letters appear in the TNet inbox of the author’s transplant center/program or OPO.
  4. Optional: coordinators from transplant centers and OPOs receive a notification via email whenever a new letter awaiting review reaches their inbox (they can toggle email notifications on/off at any time).
  5. Coordinators may handle donor family and recipient letters directly from their accounts with the following actions.

      If transplant coordinator/social worker:
    • View letters and author information
    • Download a pdf of each letter (with author information included) for future reference
    • Edit letter content (e.g. remove a last name, sensitive content) and/or remove images
    • Forward transplant recipient letters to the appropriate OPO with an optional note to the next reviewer
      • If the destination OPO has a TNet account, transplant coordinator simply selects its name from a list and the letter goes to their inbox
      • If the destination OPO does not have a TNet account, transplant coordinator enters the email address of an appropriate contact at the OPO
    • Forward donor family letters to the intended recipient
      • If intended recipient has an email address, transplant coordinator simply enters their email and then system automatically sends the letter
      • If intended recipient does not have an email address, transplant coordinator prints out letter to send by postal mail
    • Send back letters and an optional note to their authors with the click of a button
      • Note: donor family letters must first be sent back to the OPO, which will then send them directly back to the author

    Note that transplant centers will usually have separate accounts for each of their transplant programs.

      If OPO coordinator/social worker:
    • View letters and author information
    • Download a pdf of each letter (with author information included) for future reference
    • Edit letter content (e.g. remove a last name, sensitive content) and/or remove images
    • Forward each transplant recipient letter to up to three donor family members
      • If donor family member has an email address, transplant coordinator simply enters their email and then system automatically sends the letter
      • If donor family member does not have an email address, transplant coordinator prints out letter to send by postal mail
    • Forward transplant recipient letters to another OPO (if transplant was not local) with an optional note to the next reviewer
      • If the destination OPO has a TNet account, coordinator simply selects its name from a list and the letter goes to their inbox
      • If the destination OPO does not have a TNet account, coordinator enters the email address of an appropriate contact at the OPO
    • Forward donor family letters to up to 8 transplant centers with an optional note to the next reviewer(s)
      • If the transplant center has a TNet account, coordinator simply selects its name from a list and the letter goes to their inbox
      • If transplant center does not have a TNet account, coordinator enters the email address of an appropriate contact at the transplant center
    • Send back letters and an optional note to their authors with the click of a button
      • Note: transplant recipient letters must first be sent back to the transplant centers, which will then send them directly back to the author

Benefits of Electronic Correspondence and Becoming a TNet Participant

  • As many different services become digitized, TransplantNet brings the important option to connect to the 21st century
  • Recipients and donor families can access comprehensive information on writing and sending their letters directly on the site, which leads to an increase in donor family/recipient communication and a decrease in letter returns that need to be made by OPOs and transplant centers
  • If needed, users can get their questions answered quickly through TNet support
  • Letters cannot be lost during the review and forwarding process, as they occasionally are with postal mail
  • Length of review and handling steps shortened immensely (from weeks or years to days total) by switching from postal mail to electronic mail
  • In order to prevent pending letters from being forgotten, OPOs and transplant centers are reminded by email to act on letters that have been inactive for two weeks in their inbox
  • The TNet process saves paper
  • Donor family and recipient users receive immediate updates on the status of their letter in the forwarding process, giving them peace of mind
  • Less work for OPOs and transplant centers, as they can edit, download, approve or send back letters with the click of a button and forward letters directly through the system
  • As TNet gains publicity, the option and process of correspondence between donor families and transplant recipients will become more clear to both potential users and the general public
  • System can provide statistics on the number of letters exchanged both overall and by OPO/transplant center
  • Donor families and recipients can still correspond via the traditional method (hard-copy mail), and TNet provides general instructions on how to do so as well
  • All screening steps stay in place, and transplant centers/OPOs may still retain their own policies on the sharing of personal information

Request More Information

If you would like more information, please email gro.tentnalpsnart@nimda and include your name, your position, and the name of your organization in the message body.

Become a Participant — Request Account(s)

Becoming a participant is simple — you and the patients or donor families you work with may begin using TransplantNet for electronic correspondence as soon as you receive an account. Please email gro.tentnalpsnart@nimda about receiving TransplantNet account(s) for your organization. We will be in contact with you shortly.