There is a critical shortage of organ donors nationwide. In New York alone, 2 patients die every day on the kidney waitlist due to a lack of available organs. NYU has joined in collaboration with Bellevue Hospital, The Fire Department of New York, and the New York Organ Donor Network to set up and staff an organ recovery vehicle to allow patients who die outside of a traditional hospital setting to have the opportunity to become organ donors. This program is the first of its kind in the United States and NYU is only the third hospital worldwide to begin such a program. The program is planned to go live in the first quarter of 2010, and will look at outcomes not only of the transplanted organs, but also the effect of this program on the donor families, and organ donation in general.
Phone:212-263-7300
