Organ and Tissue Procurement Coordinator (OPC)
Definition
An Organ Procurement Coordinator (OPC) is a healthcare professional responsible for identifying and managing potential brain-dead and tissue donors, coordinating donation procedures, supporting donor families, and assisting with organ recovery and allocation.
Qualifications
An OPC must be a nurse with two or more years of clinical experience in patient care who meet at least one of the following:
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A person who has completed KODA's OPC training program (minimum six months).
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A person with at least six months of experience in a medical institution performing brain-death or organ donation–related tasks.
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A person approved by the Minister of Health and Welfare as qualified to perform donation coordination duties.
Main Duties
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①
Respond to on-site notifications of presumed brain-dead patients under Article 17(1) of the Act on Organ Transplantation.
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②
Provide information, counseling, and persuasion to families regarding organ and tissue donation.
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③
Confirm family consent for organ and tissue donation under Article 12(1) and Article 22 of the Act.
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④
Review the medical and social history of the presumed brain-dead patient.
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⑤
Support administrative procedures for brain-death determination applications (Article 17(2)) and notifications of results (Article 18(5)).
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⑥
Assist in preparing consent forms for organ and tissue donation and recovery.
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⑦
Support the suturing and handover of the donor's body after donation.
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⑧
Provide emotional support and post-donation follow-up for donor families.
Training
OPCs receive 4–6 months of theoretical and practical training on donor management, organ recovery, ethics, and documentation to perform their duties effectively in hospitals and donation settings.