The Organ Donation Process
The 5 Steps of the Organ Donation Process

1. Lifesaving Efforts - Whether in a hospital or at the scene of an accident, emergency medical personnel immediately begin life saving procedures. Every effort is made to save the patient’s life.
2. Referral - Once it is determined a patient may not survive, the hospital must refer the patient to the local organ procurement organization.
3. Evaluation - The organ procurement organization evaluates if organ donation may be an option.
4. Approach - If the patient is eligible to donate, the organ procurement organization will speak to the family. The family will be notified if their loved one registered as an organ donor.
5. Organ Recovery - Once consent is granted, either through the LifeShare Donor Registry or the family, the organs are recovered and used to help save the lives of those on the organ transplant waiting list.

Once organs and tissue are recovered, the family can proceed with regular funeral arrangements. The decision to donate does not affect the option of an open casket.
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Time is critical when it comes to organ transplants. Please refer to the graph below to see the time each organ has between recovery and transplant to still be a viable organ.