Lifesaving Organ and Tissue Donation Remain a Priority in Louisiana
Federally Designated Agency for the State Credits its New Donor Care Center
Covington, LA — Amid the current COVID-19 crisis, LOPA (Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency) continues its lifesaving work, due in large part, to their Donor Care Center (DCC) in Covington. With three separate ISO-8 certified recovery suites, a three-bed Donor Care Unit, and state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, the DCC eases the burden on hospital resources while still honoring the wishes of donors and their families to give the gift of life through organ and tissue donation.
According to CEO Kelly Ranum, LOPA’s leadership had the forethought to build a stand-alone care center as a way to maximize donation, allow for a safe and timely donation process, and provide an environment where the highest level of care and sensitivity is given to each and every donor. “Our new headquarters is the best move forward to care for donors and our partner hospitals, who often are strained for bed space even under normal circumstances,” said Ranum. “The lessons we learned from hurricanes and floods went into our planning, and our preparation will ensure we provide a safe environment for our staff, our transplant partners, our donors and the recipients. Whenever possible, we will transfer donors to the DCC within a few hours of starting the donation process.”
