Equitable access to organ donation and transplantation

The Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation (OTDT) program at Canadian Blood Services is committed to creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive workplace and to fostering an organ and tissue donation and transplantation system in Canada that is based on trust, fairness and equitable access to donation and transplantation for all. OTDT will embrace principles of diversity, equity and inclusion to better understand and protect cultural safety, and to improve outcomes and service to donors and patients in Canada, while also ensuring all team members, stakeholders and partners are treated with dignity, courtesy and respect.  

Understanding the barriers, challenges and opportunities related to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, language, religion, mental and physical ability, and socio-economic or immigration status is foundational to the success of the OTDT program and the national system. It is, therefore, essential that the OTDT program assess its activities and outcomes from this perspective to avoid ignoring, perpetuating, or increasing systemic inequities. Accordingly, the OTDT program will place increased equity and diversity-based analysis in the development, assessment and improvement of its internal and external activities and initiatives. 

    Publications

    Sociodemographic Variables in Canadian Organ Donation Organizations: A Health Information Survey. Leeies, Murdoch MD, MSc; Ho, Julie MD; Wilson, Lindsay C. MHA; Lalani, Jehan MHA; James, Lee BSN, MN; Carta, Tricia RN, MN; Gruber, Jackie BA, MSc; Shemie, Sam D. MD; Hrymak, Carmen MD, MScHQ

    Transplantation Direct 9(7):p e1494, July 2023. | DOI: 10.1097/TXD.0000000000001494

     

    Stakeholder and System Development Activities 

    • Environmental Scan
    • Stakeholder survey
    • Data project
    • Literature review 2021-2022   
    • Public opinion polling of underserved populations and regions - OTDT Awareness and Approval - March 2021 ​
    • Knowledge exchange events:  Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation 
      • Webinar #2: Feb 2022 - Presentations from CDTRP, CanSolveCKD, CST, Health Canada, Canadian Blood Services. 
      • Webinar #1: June 2021 - Presentations focused on Indigenous Focused Projects; Living Donation and Transplantation

    Building Capacity - Supporting our Team

     

    For more information to enquire about opportunities to collaborate please contact otdt@blood.ca