Organ Donation Referral Improvement Act
- Sponsor
- Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1]
- Committees
- Energy and Commerce Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Jan 9, 2025
Bottom line
This bill mandates a study by the Department of Health and Human Services to evaluate and promote electronic automated referral systems for organ donation across U.S. hospitals.
What it actually does
This bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a comprehensive study on the existing efforts of hospitals regarding electronic automated referrals for organ donation. The study will identify benefits, savings in staff time, impacts on donation volumes, and best practices, ultimately aiming to develop recommendations for nationwide implementation of such systems. A report on the study's findings must be submitted to relevant congressional committees.
Section 2(a) and 2(b)
Mandate for a Study on Electronic Automated Organ Donation Referrals
This section directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, to conduct a comprehensive study within one year of the bill's enactment. The study will examine how hospitals currently use electronic automated referrals for organ donation, focusing on staff time savings, timeliness, identification of potential donors, impact on donation volumes, and best practices. It also requires the study to assess peer-reviewed literature, review information technology security, and develop recommendations for nationwide implementation.
Section 2(c)
Report to Congress
This subsection requires the Secretary to submit a report detailing the results of the study to several key congressional committees within one year of the bill's enactment. The committees include Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means in the House, and Finance and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in the Senate. This ensures congressional oversight and provides a basis for potential future legislative action.
Section 2(d)
Definition of Electronic Automated Referral
This subsection provides a clear definition for the term "electronic automated referral" as used in the Act. It specifies that such a system identifies potential deceased organ donors using clinical criteria from a patient's electronic health record and automatically refers these patients to the hospital's collaborating organ procurement organization. This ensures a consistent understanding of the technology being studied.
Defines "electronic automated referral" as an electronic system that identifies potential deceased organ donors via clinical criteria in a patient's electronic health record and automatically refers such patients to the hospital's collaborating organ procurement organization.
Section 2(d)
Why it matters:Standard legislative practice to define terms for clarity and scope.
Case for: Provides essential clarity, ensuring that the study focuses on a specific, automated technological solution rather than broader electronic health record (EHR) use or manual electronic referrals. This prevents ambiguity and ensures the study's findings are relevant to a precise technological application.
Case against: No strong case against, as it's a clarifying definition. One could argue it limits the scope of the study too narrowly if other forms of electronic referrals are also beneficial, but the bill specifically targets "automated" referrals.
Estimated impact: Ensures the study's focus is precise, preventing misinterpretation of its mandate.