Designated Facilities

A Change in Practice

An important new strategy to help maximize organ and tissue donation for transplantation in Ontario is a component of provincial organ and tissue donation legislation, Part II.1 Notice and Consent of the Trillium Gift of Life Network Act , referred to as Routine Notification and Request (RNR). RNR is anticipated to be enacted in late 2005.

Designation of Facilities

On April 20, 2005 a regulation was filed with the Government of Ontario Registrar of Regulations pertaining to the designation of facilities. Ontario Regulation 179/05 sets out the six classes of facilities for the purposes of the Trillium Gift of Life Network Act:

1. Class A (Hospital - Trauma and/or neurological services)

Any hospital that provides neuro-surgical or trauma services is a member of Class A.

2. Class B (Hospital)

Any hospital that does not meet the requirements set out in paragraph 1 and that is able to make a neurological determination of death (NDD) in accordance with the medically accepted standards for NDD in Ontario is a member of Class B.

3. Class C (Hospital)

Any hospital that does not meet the requirements set in paragraph 1 or 2 is a member of Class C.

4. Class D (Tissue/Bone Bank)

Any hospital, health facility or university that participates in the collection, screening, processing, storage or distribution of tissue for transplantation is a member of Class D.

5. Class E (Transplant Service)

Any hospital that transplants organs for the direct clinical benefit of patients is a member of Class E.

6. Class F (Laboratory Service)

Any laboratory as defined in Section 5 of the Laboratory and Specimen Collection Centre Licensing Act is a member of Class F if it performs at least one of the following tests, and is licensed to do so:

-Tests required to complete standardized screening of potential organ or tissue donors for infectious diseases;

-Histocompatibility testing of potential organ donors.