Department Circular No. 2010-0112

15 April 2010

Department Circular

No. 2010 – 0112

Subject: Establishment of National Organ Preservation Effort (NHOPE) in consonance with the implementation of the Philippine Organ Donor and Recipient Registration System (PODRRS)

I.     BACKGROUND

The Philippine Organ Donor and Recipient Registration System (PODRRS) is a national registry of organ donors and kidney transplant candidates. It implements the policies on donor allocation and/or matching in accordance with the Department of Health (DOH) Administrative Order No. 2008 – 0004 regarding the Revised National Policy on Living Non–Related Organ Donation and Transplantation and its Implementing Structures in the DOH, that defined the operational structures, roles and functions of the different units tasked to support organ donation and transplantation in the country. With the implementation of the PODRRS, the establishment of the National Human Organ Preservation Effort (NHOPE) is essential to fully operationalize the PODRRS.

II.   DETAILS

The following are the details, function and area of assignment of the NHOPE:

1. The NHOPE acts as the central coordinating body to ensure that all donor organs are allocated according to established criteria;

2. Implements the policies on donor allocation;

3. Maintains three (3) national registries, with data coming from each local transplant facility, to include:

a. Registry of all kidney transplants performed in the country;

b. Registry of all place Living Non–Related Donors and those waiting to be placed;

c. Registry of all patients seeking kidney transplantation (national waiting list).

4. To effectively and efficiently carry out the above, the following contractual personnel shall be hired to perform the following tasks:

a. Program Manager

Duties and responsibilities:

·  Takes charge of the overall coordination, management and supervision of activities and functions of the office.

·  Develops plans, proposals on operations, budget, and other matters based on the functions of the office.

·  Attend meetings, conferences, and workshops relative to the implementation or operations of the program or related systems.

·  Plans, organizes, and conducts consultative meetings, workshops, and conferences pertaining to the effective implementation of the program.

·  Acts as resource person, lecturer, presentor, facilitator during workshops, conferences, conventions and seminars.

·  Plans, coordinates, implements and monitors advocacy activities nationwide.

·  Monitors and evaluates actual implementation of the different projects and/or related activities.

·  Makes regular updates/reports to the Department of Health.

·  Receives all referrals for organ procurement for deceased donor.

·  Evaluates all submitted documents from Hospital HOPE of donor and transplant candidate for inclusion into the respective registries.

·  Confirms active status as recommended by Hospital HOPE for all donor and transplant candidate.

·  Goes on call 24/7 on a rotational basis for deceased organ donor referrals and informs and updates the Medical Consultants of the donor status.

·  Secures consent for donation from relatives of potential deceased donors.

·  Liaises with the designated personnel of referring hospitals to facilitate organ procurement or patient transfer to procuring hospitals and completes all legal documentation.

·  Ensures that the proper documents for each transplant procedures are filled and filled accordingly.

·  Makes necessary reports and recommendations to the program manger and medical consultants.

·  Accomplishes other tasks that may be designated by the program manager or medical consultants.

b. Transplant Coordinators/Nurses (full time)

Duties and responsibilities

·  Encodes deceased donor data into PODRRS and starts donor allocation process.

·  Confirms with Medical Consultants regarding choice of appropriate candidate to receive organ based on previously determined allocation rules and criteria.

·  Notifies Hospital HOPE to which the top priority transplant candidates belong to offer the deceased organ.

·  Coordinates transport of organ to transplant facility for subsequent transplantation.

·  Informs organ procurement teams of deceased donor referrals and facilitates procedures for them to conduct procurement operations.

·  Initiates the Registry Report as needed.

·  Conduct hospital development activities to promote deceased organ donation.

c. Information Technology Support Personnel (full time)

Duties and Responsibilities:

Coordinates activities pertaining to the implementation of the Online PODRRS pertaining primarily:

(1) Data Collection

(a)  Monitors proper encoding of data from transplant facilities.

(b)  Receives updates from the transplant coordinators and IT support personnel on the status of data submission & problems encountered in the PODRRS system.

(2)  Data Editing

(a)  Evaluates/reviews data for inclusion or exclusion of patients into the PODRRS data analysis.

(b)  Assesses data for completeness, accuracy, consistency and acceptability.

(c)   Records and summarizes data problems such as incomplete/inconsistent data (per form/unit) for reference during orientation & consultative meetings.

(3)  Data Verification and Follow up:

(a)  Refers/confers questionable data and Incident Reports with proponents, nephrologist and transplant surgeons.

(4)  Data Management

(a)  Performs accuracy and consistency checking of encoded data, specifically on primary diagnosis, co–existing diseases and other pertinent data

(b)  Provides regular users feedback on PODRRS operations with the representatives of each transplant facility.

(c)   Conducts regular Consultative Meetings with the IT support personnel and Administrative Assistant.

(d)  Conducts NHOPE/PODRRS Software Orientation on a case to case basis.

(5)Database Management and Administration

(a)  Ensures that the network, database and system are up and running 24/7.

(b)  Implements backup and recovery procedures

(6) System Troubleshooting

(a)  Troubleshoots and/or resolves PODRRS related issues, concerns and problems and Incident Reports.

(7) Software Maintenance 

(a)  Codes or writes programs

(b)  Accepts, documents, investigates and addresses all software related problems.

(c)   Protects the system form whatever threat.

(d)  Fixes system errors as reported and verified.

(e)  Develop system enhancements to make the PODRRS updated

(f) Make sure all system and network requirements are functioning at any point in time to assure the operation of PODRRS 24/7. Where there will be any foreseen disruptions, makes sure that the information is disseminated to all those affected system–wide.

(g) Makes recommendations for ICT system updates and upgrades including their needed budget; takes the lead in the development of approved system updates and upgrades.

d. Administrative Officer (full time)

Duties and Responsibilities

·  Assists NHOPE staff with the day to day operations

·  Managers all correspondence with other agencies

·  Schedules all meetings and activities of NHOPE and makes necessary arrangements for the conduct of the same

·  Labels, files and manages all documents pertinent to the process and procedures of NHOPE.

·  Documents the minutes of meetings and prepare related reports.

·  Prepares and provides copies of minutes to all concerned parties, and maintains file copy of the minutes of the meetings.

·  Manages the NHOPE supplies.

·  Performs other functions that may be assigned by Project Manager and other higher officials.

e. Utility/Messenger

Duties and Responsibilities

·  Maintain overall cleanliness of NHOPE office

·  Responsible in doing office errands such as postage documents to intended recipient and photocopying documents

·  Performs other tasks and duties that may be ordered by immediate superior

5. NHOPE shall be directly under the supervision and management of the NCDPC Director IV;

6. The Information Management Service through the System and Software Development Division shall provide technical support until such time that the NHOPE can assume full responsibility to run the operations of the system;

7. All expenses to be incurred such as salaries and other expenses related to the operations of the NHOPE shall be charged against the funds of the NCDPC, subject to the usual accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

Dissemination of the information to all concerned is requested.

By Authority of the Secretary of Health:

Nemesio T. Gak, MD, MPH, CESO II

            Assistant Secretary of Health
           Officer–In–Charge, SMCT/PSDT–SD Clusters