New England Donor Services (NEDS), a new system level organization launching January 1, 2017, will integrate clinical operations of the two federally-designated Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) in Region 1, LifeChoice Donor Services of Bloomfield, CT and New England Organ Bank of Waltham, MA. The affiliation of the two OPOs will establish a centralized corporate structure with a single clinical workforce while maintaining the existence of separate OPO service areas for the purpose of regulatory compliance and organ allocation. There are fourteen local transplant centers in the region.

The governing boards of the two organizations pursued the affiliation as a means to leverage the strengths of the two OPOs with the specific goals of increasing the availability of organs and tissues for transplant and realizing system efficiencies.

Alexandra K. Glazier, President and CEO of New England Donor Services said, “The process of referring and coordinating organ and tissue donation across over 200 hospitals in six states serving a population of over 14 million is a vitally important but challenging task. By leveraging the strengths of New England’s two OPOs under one system, we expect this affiliation will result in more life-saving and life-enhancing donation and transplants for patients and in financial efficiencies that will provide further value to our stakeholders.”