Episode 61: Why Do OPO’s Need A Quality Assurance Department?

This Thing Called Life

On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson talks with Sarah Kepf to continue the series on “The Donation Process From The Lens of The OPO” where she has been taking listeners through step by step how the donation process works and all of the different departments and people involved within the Organ Procurement Organization (OPO). If you want to know more about how the gift of life comes to be through donation, tune in now!

Episode Highlights:

• Andi reviews the previous speakers in this series of exploring the process of donation through the OPO- Organ Procurement Organization.
• The Process begins in Donation Support services with donation coordinators as the following step. There are also the family services coordinators, organ recovery specialists, and tissue recovery technicians. Andi has interviewed people in each of these departments - if you missed it be sure to check the episode list!
• Organ, eye, and tissue donation is deeply collaborative. It takes a community of hospitals and staff, transplant centers, the OPO, sometimes the coroner, and funeral homes.
• Did you know that a donor can have an open casket? Andi says, “The body of a donor is treated with the utmost care and integrity.”
• The Quality Assurance Department is critical to the donation chain. They ensure that the OPO is compliant in the recovery process as well as all policies are correct. They work closely with regulatory agencies to make sure that the organization is working in line with them.
• Sarah Kepf introduces herself. She has been with Life Center for 11 years; She started as a tissue chart reviewer and is now the Quality Assurance Manager.
• Fresh out of nursing school Sarah joined The Life Center. She shares how she journeyed through her career to where she is now.
• Andi asks Sarah to talk about The Quality Department’s role in the donation value chain.
• Sarah’s department works closely with auditors and surveyors from a regulatory standpoint.
• There is also a safety standpoint of the Quality department; Sarah is the safety officer. If an event occurs, she is interviewing staff members or she is testing different incidents.
• Sarah says they are also heavily involved in process improvement which is up and coming to ensure that the organization is running as smoothly as possible and staying up to date with any new changes.
• The Quality department started with two people and they now have eight.
• Sarah talks about how they continue to stay true to the mission of enhancing lives and honoring all in the very important process they follow.
• Andi asks Sarah to give examples of incidents that she may have to investigate.
• If an error occurs it is a chance for improvement. The other departments have an understanding of how Quality is improving work for everyone.
• How can someone get involved in the quality department? Sarah shares that it is beneficial to have a medical background as well as attention to detail and ability to critically think.
• Andi asks Sarah what is most challenging about her role.
• Healthcare is ever-changing so Quality really has to stay on top of changes and who the changes will impact as it could be one department or could trickle down to another as well.
• Sometimes people question how regulated organ donation is. Andi and Sarah discuss myths people believe. Sarah brings up how they have laws that heavily regulate everything.
• If you are interested in life center career opportunities or becoming a donor, you can check at https://lifepassiton.org/

3 Key Points:

1. Organ, eye, and tissue donation takes a community working together. Hospitals and their staff, transplant centers, many in the OPO, coroners, and funeral homes.
2. The Quality Assurance department ensures that the organization remains audit ready and that they are compliant with their regulatory and government bodies. Sarah shares how they do that.
3. The Life Center continues to grow and flourish with their mission to enhance lives through donation while honoring those who gave. Sarah and Andi talk about how it is done in such a way that looks out for everyone.

Resources: https://aopo.org/ https://lifepassiton.org/ https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH