Center for Organ Recovery & Education

Information was provided to TransWeb by the Center for Organ Recovery & Education 3/98, revised 3/2000.

RIDC Park, 204 Sigma Dr., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania  15238

(800) 366-6777 (p)

(412) 963-3563 (f)

http://www.core.org

UNOS Region 2

Contact person for public education:	Debra Anne Kearns
Geographical areas covered:	Southern New York, Central and Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia
Population served:	5.7 million
Transplant centers in the service area:	Allegheny General Hospital, Charleston Area Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Veteran's Administration Medical Center, West Virginia University Hospitals

The organization and its mission:
CORE is one of 63 federally-designated entities in the U. S. known as a nonprofit organ procurement organization (OPO). The organization plays a pivotal role between potential organ and tissue donors and patients awaiting transplantation. In addition to offering families the opportunity to donate, CORE facilitates the physical recovery of donated organs, tissues and corneas, as well as the computerized matching of organs and placement of eyes. Founded in 1977 as the Transplant Organ Procurement Foundation of Western Pennsylvania, and later known as the Pittsburgh Transplant Foundation, CORE changed to its existing name in 1992 to reflect its expanding role in the procurement field. With headquarters in Pittsburgh and an office in Charleston, WV, CORE is a well-established OPO. Its assigned region encompasses 160 hospitals and almost six million people throughout western and central Pennsylvania, West Virginia and a small portion of New York. The organization's dedication to donor families, recipients and the communities it serves is matched only by its commitment to achieving advances in the procurement field. In 1989, CORE created the first routine referral program in which acute care hospitals notify the OPO of all deaths. The CORE routine referral program now serves as a model for other routine referral programs that have been adopted by OPOs throughout the U. S. Additionally, CORE created in 1995 the first donor data base in Pennsylvania accessible 24-hours-a-day. CORE has continued its efforts to lead the procurement field by becoming a full-service OPO. In 1996, the organization added tissue recovery and eye banking services to its organ recovery component. The organization enhanced its line of services by opening an internal laboratory in 1997.

Unique or creative organ donation promotion strategies:
For the last several years, CORE has targeted schools and corporations to heighten understanding about donation. In addition to delivering programs at corporations and for-business professional groups, CORE has placed numerous articles in employee publications. CORE also uses a three- tiered program for the schools. At the elementary level, children learn through the use of a life-size puzzle what organs and tissues look like and which may be used for transplantation. At the junior- and senior-high levels, the students receive a presentation on donation, using an actual donor case study. CORE tracks the effectiveness of its programs and educational initiatives through the use of a three- part donor card. The bottom portion of the card is returned to CORE and entered into a donor data base.

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Last modified: 11 May 2000