Summit Outlines the Crucial Relationship Between MTN and Palliative Care Providers

Midwest Transplant Network welcomed 62 attendees both in person and virtually for a Palliative Care Summit Jan. 16. The event focused on defining the role of palliative care in the organ donation process and collaborating with palliative care teams to best support families when faced with end-of-life decisions.

Additional topics included differentiating the donor process between first person authorization (FPA) and non-FPA, and an explanation of the family readiness assessment tool (FRAT). The summit was provided in partnership with MTN and Stormont Vail Health Topeka, Kan.

Pilot Program Results
Janelle Williamson, MS, APRN, NP-C, ACHPN, FPCN, served as the keynote speaker. Williamson is a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner at Stormont Vail Health. She provided a review of a pilot program at Stormont Vail Health during the past year aimed at developing best practices to collaborate and include donation in end-of-life care planning conversations. Supportive data from the pilot program demonstrated improved donation outcomes with 64% of families saying yes to donation before a collaborative approach and 78% when MTN and palliative care worked as a team to support the families together.

A Doctor’s Perspective
“The summit provided compelling evidence that greater collaboration between MTN and palliative medicine provides a clear benefit for families facing donation considerations,” said Erin Khouri, DO AAEM, Saint Luke’s Physician Group, Supportive and Palliative Medicine Division.

Khouri added, “I appreciate the opportunity to share this information with my team, and to work on better supporting our MTN colleagues as we all support patients and families.”

Frontline Experiences
MTN Family Services Coordinator III, John Michael Segars, Pharm.D., shared stories from his work that fully immersed attendees in end-of-life experiences and when to begin the conversation about organ, eye and tissue donation. “You never know what to expect when you walk into a room with a family,” Segars said. “We get to know the families and learn more about their loved ones. We want to be transparent with the families and fold the donation conversation in at the right time for the family.”

The Greatest Benefit
MTN’s Hospital Services Coordinator I, Mallory Reitemeier, MSN, RN, CMSRN, said, “I think the greatest benefit of the summit was hearing Janelle’s perspective on the importance of collaboration between MTN and palliative care.”

Reitemeier said the data shows the impact a positive relationship between palliative care and MTN can have. “Hearing from a relatable, palliative clinician makes the work we’ve done impactful. I am hopeful she has inspired attendees to leverage the relationship between their palliative care teams and MTN to maximize the gift of donation.”