Studies show for some procedures, the shorter the amount of time the organ or tissue spends in transit, the better the transplant outcomes for the recipient will be.
When an organ or tissue becomes available for donation, it must be transported to the appropriate facility to manage the organ. Once an organ is recovered it no longer receives oxygenated blood, and begins to break down. If the cells and tissues break down too much the organ will not function properly and is no longer viable for donation.
The Washington state legislature is currently considering SB 5177 which, if approved, will allow appropriately licensed organ transport vehicles to utilize lights, sirens and other important traffic safety equipment. The Northwest Kidney Council supports SB 5177. If approved, SB 5177 will support safer, more rapid transportation from donor to recipient and will lead to greater health outcomes.
On January 23, the Northwest Kidney Council and five of our kidney community partners submitted a letter to the Washington Senate Transportation Committee outlining our support of SB 5177. We urge the members of the Washington legislature to approve this important legislation.
The NW Kidney Council is committed to partnering with elected leaders to develop strategies to address these challenges and invest in long-term solutions for a strong Northwest healthcare workforce.
Watch our testimony before the Washington Senate Transportation Committee (Link coming soon)
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