Standardized Huddles Process Improved Customer Service Communication Collaboration Consistency Hospital Requirements Standardized, consistent, reliable processes Huddles What are huddles? Gathering of multiple members of the hospital care team and LS to share information about a patient, patient’s family, etc. and discuss the next steps in the donation process. Huddling improves communication and helps create a plan that results in a smooth process and optimal care of the patient and patient’s family. Why a standardized huddles process: To develop huddles that are standardized, consistent & reliable—which meets our customer requirements and will improve communication and practice! ~3 years ago LifeSource began a strategic initiative to enhance and improve the delivery of organ and tissue donation services. The first thing we did was conduct focus groups and interviews with hospital partners in order to better understand the hospital customer’s needs. Hospital staff made it clear that they required: total collaboration between LS and the hospital care team (they specifically requested huddles); complete respect for the hospital care team and families; standardized, consistent, reliable processes and timeliness, especially in communication. Based on the information and feedback obtained through the interviews a sub team was developed to focus on developing a standardized huddles process.

Huddle Definitions Donation Assessment Huddle Family Support Huddle Onsite or telephone response, after an evaluation Family Support Huddle Prior to family discussion Family Outcome Huddle After family discussion This team identified three areas in the donation process where huddles are essential (see*Note below). These huddles were named and clearly defined. Donation Assessment Huddle: This huddle occurs following an evaluation for organ and tissue donation opportunities – it could be an onsite or telephone assessment/evaluation. It is intended to establish a clear plan of LS involvement and ensure that the hospital care team is both heard and informed. Discussion topics include the hospital care plan, what donation opportunities exist at the time of the evaluation, clinical factors relevant to the preservation of future donation opportunities, CBIGs, next steps. This huddle is new to the donation process. Family Support Huddle: This huddle occurs prior to meeting with a family to discuss donation opportunities (BD or DCD). It is an opportunity for hospital staff and LS to communicate and encourage teamwork when there may be donation opportunities. The huddle includes a minimum of 2 members of the patient care team. Discussion topics include the hospital care plan, brain death diagnosis or potential DCD suitability, clinical factors relevant to the preservation of future donation opportunities, family dynamics and LNOK identification, DD status and approach plan – who will approach, who will be present, what we will say, where the approach will occur. Family Outcome Huddle: This huddle occurs following the family discussion and is intended to ensure that the hospital care team along with LS has a clear understanding of the family discussion outcome and to establish next steps in the donation process. Discussion topics include the family/LNOK decision, clinical factors relevant to the preservation of future donation opportunities, next steps – begin case, identify staffing needs, timing and family support and communication plan. Huddles are not limited to three occurrences. There may be multiple Donation Assessment Huddles or any variation of the three huddles. *Note: These three huddles focus on the donation process leading up to and immediately following the family discussion. Other huddle definitions are in development for donor management and pre-OR phases of the donation process. Your hospital may already be practicing huddles that are not included in this information. Additionally, a Huddle Template was developed and tested for use in the 3 defined huddles to guide our staff with consistent, key language.

Huddle Template A guide for LifeSource staff Provides key words Set-up Discussion Plan Next Steps You will see LifeSource staff using the Huddle Template as a guide, reading from the template to ensure consistency for our hospital customers. They will also be identifying what type of huddle they are conducting. There may be some variation between staff depending on our existing relationships and because each of us have a unique way of communicating. However, the expectation is that we will use the guide and not vary from the content or intention. The Huddle template will guide our staff through each step of the huddles process. We have tested this and found it to be an effective tool for conducting huddles over the telephone too. Again, the goal is to conduct consistent huddles across the board in order to better serve our hospital partners, better serve families by ensuring the best care and support for honoring their loved ones wishes, and save more lives by maximizing the outcome of every donation opportunity. How you can help us be accountable to this new process: Become familiar with the huddle names and refer to them by name. Request a huddle if the LifeSource staff do not offer one. Provide feedback to your hospital liaison.