New Performance Measures Submitted by Organ Procurement Organizations to Enhance Organ Donation Processes
New Performance Measures Submitted by Organ Procurement Organizations to Enhance Organ Donation Processes
On November 9, 2026, the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) announced a significant advancement in the realm of organ donation. This announcement centers around the submission of three additional performance measures to the Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) seeking national endorsement. This initiative reflects a longstanding commitment to bolster accountability and enhance the performance of organ procurement organizations (OPOs), ultimately aiming to save more lives through effective organ donation and transplantation practices.
The proposed measures expand the evaluation criteria for OPO performance, moving beyond mere numbers in early donation stages. This broader assessment provides deeper insights into clinical practices and identifies continuous opportunities for quality improvements. The three new measures include:
1. Donor Management Goals (DMG) Bundle Rate - This measure assesses the effectiveness of donor care, focusing on identifying opportunities to optimize organ function and subsequently increase the number of organs available for transplantation.
2. Organs Recovered Per Donor (ORPD) Rate - This evaluation revolves around the average number of organs successfully recovered for transplantation from each deceased donor, regardless of their eventual transplantation status.
3. Organ Utilization Rate - This rate evaluates the percentage of organs recovered that are transplanted into recipients, offering insights into organ nonuse and areas where OPOs, transplant centers, and other stakeholders can work together to maximize organ utilization while maintaining patient safety.
This submission is an extension of AOPO's ongoing OPO Performance Measurement Project in collaboration with 53 OPOs and Econometrica, Inc. In a compelling indication of progress, two earlier measures—Referral Rate and Approach Rate—gained national endorsement through PQM’s rigorous independent review process earlier this year.
AOPO President Allison Erickson emphasized the importance of these additional measures, stating, “Each step in the organ donation process presents opportunities to improve performance and ultimately save more lives. These additional measures move us closer to a more complete understanding of OPO performance and provide meaningful data to guide quality improvements across the donation and transplantation system.”
The PQM is operated by Battelle, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), serving as its Consensus-Based Entity for health care quality measure endorsement and maintenance. The comprehensive review process meticulously evaluates potential measures for scientific soundness, relevance, feasibility, and their capacity to enhance quality and accountability in the healthcare system.
Existing performance evaluations under CMS have relied on only two outcome measures: Donation Rate and Transplant Rate. These metrics have not undergone independent peer review and are known to have significant limitations. While understanding clinical outcomes is vital, these measures fail to encapsulate the complexities surrounding OPO operations. This gap hinders the identification of opportunities for tangible improvements throughout the donation process.
Dr. Jean O'Connor, Health Practice Area Director at Econometrica, elaborated on the necessity for accurate measurement, stating, “We cannot improve this lifesaving system if we do not measure it accurately. These three new measures empower OPOs to pinpoint specific clinical activities that enhance organ availability, encouraging donor safety and innovation through the transplant programs.” Achieving national endorsement for these new measures is poised to elevate best practices on a national scale.
The measures’ development involved an extensive collaborative approach, engaging OPO professionals, clinicians, researchers, quality experts, donor families, transplant recipients, and various other stakeholders. The project capitalizes on data analysis, measure testing, stakeholder feedback, and established standard criteria set by the CMS.
AOPO's quality improvement framework underscores the significance of considering both process and outcome measures together. Continuing this trajectory, AOPO commits to working closely with OPOs, policymakers, and relevant stakeholders to facilitate the evaluation, implementation, and proper use of these newly introduced measures.
With over 100,000 individuals awaiting life-saving organ transplants across the nation, the call for performance measures that accurately depict the intricacies of organ donation has never been more crucial. Strengthening accountability through these measures can catalyze meaningful improvements necessary for saving lives. For more insights into AOPO's OPO Performance Measurement Project and to access pertinent resources related to these measures, visit aopo.org/opo-metrics-project/measures.
About AOPO
The Association of Organ Procurement Organizations leads the national organ donation community, advocating for the saving and enhancement of lives through organ, eye, and tissue donation. Established in 1984, AOPO is at the forefront of promoting and advancing organ donation practices by fostering collaboration among stakeholders and disseminating successful methodologies among its 45 member OPOs. The organization envisions a future where every donation opportunity results in lives saved.
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