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Earlier this week, D.C. Councilmember David Catania introduced two bills that would establish an organ/tissue donor registry and create a health professional's loan repayment program. The registry ensures timely access to crucial donor information and the loan program seeks to recruit medical professionals to underserved areas in the District of Columbia.
Over 1,500 District residents are waiting for organ and tissue donations, while more than 100,000 people are designated as donors by the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles ("DMV"). The Organ and Tissue Donor Registry Establishment Act sets up a centralized donor registry to be maintained by the region's designated procurement organization, the Washington Regional Transplant Consortium ("WRTC"). The proposal requires the DMV to regularly transfer all organ/tissue donor information to WRTC so hospitals have efficient access to vital information about their patients and potential donors. Catania said, "The disjointed and decentralized nature of our current system puts patients at risk given the high potential for miscommunication. By authorizing an updated registry, I expect the wait for an organ or tissue will shorten and the rate of success will increase." Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent Gray joined Councilmember Catania in introducing the District of Columbia Health Professional Recruitment Program Act. If enacted, the D.C. Department of Health would pay down the loans of physicians, dentists, nurses, and similar medical professionals if they dedicate their service to the neediest neighborhoods. Sharon Baskerville, Executive Director of the D.C. Primary Care Association, said, "Over 300,000 DC residents live in neighborhoods with shortages of primary care, dental, and mental health providers. Councilmembers Catania and Gray recognize the urgent need to attract health care providers to these underserved communities. This legislation serves as the first step in meeting this critical shortage of health care professionals." |
