Organ and Tissue Donation

New England Donor Services at Lifespan Hospitals

Lifespan hospitals maintain a relationship with New England Donor Services (NEDS), which provides information and coordination of tissue and organ donations to thousands of families each year. Each year, NEDS works with nearly 200 hospitals, serves 14 million people in our region, and screens nearly 50,000 potential donors.

Contact Our In-House Coordinator

To learn more about organ donation or NEDS, please reach out to our in-house coordinator, Tamara Sexton, MSN, RN at 401-444-5755 or at [email protected].

When working with donors and their families, NEDS staff oversees and coordinates the entire donation process. By following the rigorous authorization protocols, staff can ensure transparency throughout donation discussions, surgical recovery, adherence to the national transplant waiting list, and physical transport of organs and tissues.

Whether an individual decides to become an organ donor, or a family makes the decision to give the gift of life, the positive rippled effect of organ donation and transplant is nearly endless.

Through these donations, NEDS is able to main its mission of saving and healing lives through organ and tissue donation.

Organ Donation at Rhode Island Hospital

Receiving platinum recognition from the Health Resources & Services Administration, Rhode Island Hospital has maintained a close working relationship with NEDS for several decades and has continually been at the forefront of education and enrollment for organ donation. A dedicated in-house coordinator is staffed by NEDS at Rhode Island Hospital daily to assist with the donation, referral and recovery process.

How Organ Donations Impact Our Patients

In 2019, 346 patients from Rhode Island Hospital and its Hasbro Children’s Hospital met criteria for referral to NEDS for potential organ donation.
Of those 346 referrals, 22 patients were able to give the gift of life to others.
22 organ donors were able to help 72 people waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.
In 2019, 1365 referrals for tissue donation were made.
Of those 1365 referrals, 354 people were suitable to donate tissue.
Of the 354 suitable donors, 72 people donated tissue; helping restore and improve the quality of life in countless patients.