Organ Donation - Patient Wishes
Are hospitals required to ask patients about their wishes concerning organ donation?
Any examples are for illustrative purposes only.
No. Hospitals and critical access hospitals are not required to ask patients about their organ donation wishes unless it is required by law/regulation, organization policy/procedure or Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) agreement. If organ donation is specified in the patient's advance directive or verbally expressed by the patient, there should be documentation of the patient's wishes according to the organization's policy and procedure. The organization must honor the patient's wishes within the limits of the law or hospital capacity. Some organizations may not be capable of fully honoring the patient's wishes since they do not have the capability of sustaining life. The patient may need to be transferred and this should be in accordance with law/regulation and any applicable OPO agreement.
No. Hospitals and critical access hospitals are not required to ask patients about their organ donation wishes unless it is required by law/regulation, organization policy/procedure or Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) agreement. If organ donation is specified in the patient's advance directive or verbally expressed by the patient, there should be documentation of the patient's wishes according to the organization's policy and procedure. The organization must honor the patient's wishes within the limits of the law or hospital capacity. Some organizations may not be capable of fully honoring the patient's wishes since they do not have the capability of sustaining life. The patient may need to be transferred and this should be in accordance with law/regulation and any applicable OPO agreement.
Manual:
Hospital and Hospital Clinics
Chapter:
Rights and Responsibilities of the Individual RI
First published date: April 11, 2016
This Standards FAQ was first published on this date.
This page was last updated on November 22, 2021
with update notes of: Editorial changes only
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