Intro: Air based organ procurement travel has been noted to be the dangerous. As a 5-year follow-up to the Michigan Donor Travel Forum, we sought to quantify the effect on liver procurement travel in Michigan. We hypothesize that utilization of a centralized donor facility and outside surgeon procurement significantly decreased procurement travel.

Methods: Following the introduction of a standardized central procurement facility, all in-state procurement related travel over an 18-month period was analyzed. Travel distance to each donor hospital was calculated and travel savings were computed in each case in which the patient was transferred to the centralized donor facility. If an outside surgeon procurement occurred, the distance to the procurement hospital was considered 100% travel distance savings.

Results: Over the 18-month period, 98 liver procurement operations were undertaken. A centralized procurement facility was utilized in 21/98 (21.4%) of all liver procurements. Outside surgeon was used in 4/98 (4.1%) of procurements. A total of 10,894 miles were traveled during the time period with a net travel savings of 2058 miles. Total travel savings for the 2 methods combined totaled 2058/12,952 (15.8%).

Conclusion: Owning to the high risk involved in organ procurement travel, efforts aimed at reducing flight related donor travel should be considered of high importance. Recommendations of the 2009 Michigan Donor Forum included utilization of outside surgeon procurement and centralized facilities. Our 18-month experience suggests that this has a proven place in the reduction of travel distance and should be considered in the context of decreasing flight related donor travel.

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