A multipronged approach to addressing the organ shortage.

Organ donation rates continue to lag behind the number of patients waiting for an organ transplant. The Alabama Organ Center, the organ procurement organization for the state of Alabama, is using a multipronged approach to address the organ shortage. The plan includes clinical options, public education, and professional education. Donation after cardiac death is proving to be an excellent option to increase the number of donors. Public and professional education must be conducted through a variety of avenues, and the Alabama Organ Center has implemented a successful Department of Motor Vehicles educational effort, in conjunction with other programs. The current issue impacting professional education is participation in the Health and Human Services Organ Donation Breakthrough Collaborative. The common link to all of these programs is effective relationship building.