Transplant programs must have written patient management policies for the transplant and discharge phases of transplantation. If a transplant program performs living donor transplants, the program also must have written donor management policies for the donor evaluation, donation, and discharge phases of living organ donation.

(a) Standard: Patient and living donor care. The transplant program's patient and donor management policies must ensure that:

(1) Each transplant patient is under the care of a multidisciplinary patient care team coordinated by a physician throughout the transplant and discharge phases of transplantation; and

(2) If a program performs living donor transplants, each living donor is under the care of a multidisciplinary patient care team coordinated by a physician throughout the donor evaluation, donation, and discharge phases of donation.

(b) Standard: Waiting list management. Transplant programs must keep their waiting lists up to date on an ongoing basis, including:

(1) Updating of waiting list patients' clinical information;

(2) Removing patients from the program's waiting list if a patient receives a transplant or dies, or if there is any other reason the patient should no longer be on a program's waiting list; and

(3) Notifying the OPTN no later than 24 hours after a patient's removal from the program's waiting list.

(c) Standard: Patient records. Transplant programs must maintain up-to-date and accurate patient management records for each patient who receives an evaluation for placement on a program's waiting list and who is admitted for organ transplantation.

(1) For each patient who receives an evaluation for placement on a program's waiting list, the program must document in the patient's record that the patient (and in the case of a kidney patient, the patient's usual dialysis facility) has been informed of his or her transplant status, including notification of:

(i) The patient's placement on the program's waiting list;

(ii) The program's decision not to place the patient on its waiting list; or

(iii) The program's inability to make a determination regarding the patient's placement on its waiting list because further clinical testing or documentation is needed.

(2) If a patient on the waiting list is removed from the waiting list for any reason other than death or transplantation, the transplant program must document in the patient's record that the patient (and in the case of a kidney patient, the patient's usual dialysis facility) was notified no later than 10 days after the date the patient was removed from the waiting list.

(3) In the case of patients admitted for organ transplants, transplant programs must maintain written records of:

(i) Multidisciplinary patient care planning during the transplant period; and

(ii) Multidisciplinary discharge planning for post-transplant care.

(d) Standard: Social services. The transplant program must make social services available, furnished by qualified social workers, to transplant patients, living donors, and their families. A qualified social worker is an individual who meets licensing requirements in the State in which he or she practices; and

(1) Completed a course of study with specialization in clinical practice and holds a master's degree from a graduate school of social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education; or

(2) Is working as a social worker in a transplant program as of the effective date of this final rule and has served for at least 2 years as a social worker, 1 year of which was in a transplantation program, and has established a consultative relationship with a social worker who is qualified under (d)(1) of this paragraph.

(e) Standard: Nutritional services. Transplant programs must make nutritional assessments and diet counseling services, furnished by a qualified dietitian, available to all transplant patients and living donors. A qualified dietitian is an individual who meets practice requirements in the State in which he or she practices and is a registered dietitian with the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

[72 FR 15273, Mar. 30, 2007, as amended at 84 FR 51822, Sept. 30, 2019]