ESCRS - PO649 - Transplantapp.Eu - A New Way To Register A Potential Corneal Donor.

Transplantapp.Eu - A New Way To Register A Potential Corneal Donor.

Published 2024 - 42nd Congress of the ESCRS

Reference: PO649 | Type: Poster | DOI: 10.82333/2r4s-aw38

Authors: Dominika Szkodny* 1 , Edward Wylęgała 2 , Ewa Wróblewska-Czajka 2 , Adam Wylęgała 2

1Chair and Clinical Department of Ophthalmology Faculty of Medical Sciences, Zabrze Medical University of Silesia in Katowice,Katowice,Poland;Ophthalmology, ,District Railway Hospital in Katowice,Katowice,Poland, 2Chair and Clinical Department of Ophthalmology Faculty of Medical Sciences, Zabrze Medical University of Silesia in Katowice,Katowice,Poland;District Railway Hospital in Katowice,Katowice,Poland

Purpose

The availability of donated tissues plays a crucial role in saving and enhancing the vision of numerous patients through transplantation. However, the demand for tissues consistently surpasses the available supply, leading to prolonged waiting lists and compromised patient outcomes in various countries, including Poland.  Introducing multidirectional solutions is imperative to address and improve this challenging situation. One potential solution to alleviate the corneal donor shortage is to automate the notification process for potential donors through the application developed at our site. The Purpose of this study was to explore the potential of utilizing a donor reporting app as a means to enhance the tissue donation process.

Setting

The literature was reviewed to become acquainted with the problem of donor shortage and to explore potential causes. Discussions among doctors and employees of the eye tissue bank resulted in the initiation of a project to develop a donor reporting application.  

The application is in web form and has the capability to automatically send a message about the donor to the mobile phone of an eye tissue bank employee.

Methods

Conducted in Katowice, Poland, this investigation employed a questionnaire-based and observational approach to assess the usability of a donor reporting application. Doctors from two hospitals, with whom an agreement was signed to use the application, were invited to evaluate it. Each department in these hospitals had appropriate login credentials, enabling the use of the application. The questionnaires were distributed in these departments to be filled out by doctors or were sent via email.

 

Results

The final app version successfully reported 24 real cornea donors, garnering feedback from 64 app users. Most participants found the application easy to use and expressed a willingness to use it in the future. The layout, appearance, purpose, and specific features of the application received positive ratings. The most valuable functions on the app indicated by the respondents was the automatic sending of notification through the text message and integrating all necessary documents for donor qualification and tissue collection. The majority agreed that the application could encourage doctors to report tissue donors.

Conclusions

The process of donor procurement itself can be complex and unclear for doctors. The developed application optimizes the identification of tissue donors by encompassing all qualification-related information. It overcomes obstacles such as unfamiliarity with the donor reporting procedure, a known factor contributing to inefficient tissue donor acquisition. The study indicates a positive reception of the application, bringing promising prospects for increasing the number of corneal donors.Implementation of other measures is also crucial to streamline tissue acquisition, such as a motivational system, improved funding for procedures related to donor care, and raising public awareness regarding tissue and organ donation.