1. The OPTN Bylaws Rewrite Project What It Means For You
Betsy Walsh, JD, MPH
OPTN Bylaws Plain Language Rewrite
MPSC Work Group Chair

2. Why Rewrite the Bylaws? Results from 2006 Member Survey :
Use plain language
Keep it simple
Drop the legalese and speak English
Language complicated and not understandable
Simplify wording so everyone understands

3. What is Plain Language? You can find what you need easily
You can easily read what you find
Members’ rights and responsibilities are clear and understandable
OPTN responsibilities and actions are clear and understandable
Use the active voice
Use common, everyday words
See for more information

4. New Usability Features
Consistent use of important terms
Table of contents with hyperlinks
Definitions section
Larger font
Meaningful headings
Page numbers
Index
Headers and footers

5. The Rewrite Process
Sponsored by the Membership and Professional Standards Committee (MPSC)
Two Phases:
Phase I: This is the current phase. The entire Bylaws are reorganized into logical arrangement and written in plain language. The due process provisions (current Appendix A) underwent a substantive rewrite.
Phase II: Substantive re-write with emphasis on addressing contradicting statements or direction, needed revisions, and additional provisions.

6. The Phase I Rewrite Process
Started August 2010
Review Team
HRSA
MPSC workgroup members
UNOS legal
UNOS staff

7. Phase I Project Milestones
October 2011 MPSC review and approval of OPTN Bylaws Public Comment document
December 1, January 31, 2012 OPTN Bylaws Rewrite Public Comment Period
March 2012 MPSC review and consideration of Public Comments
June 18-19, 2012 OPTN Board Meeting

8. The Bylaws went from this…
The MPSC (or Ad Hoc Subcommittee of the MPSC) shall act on an application with a recommendation for acceptance and grant of interim approval or a recommendation for rejection resulting in disallowance of membership or designated transplant program status on an interim basis pending due process within 90 days after receiving it.

9. To (something like) this…
The MPSC or an MPSC subcommittee will act on a completed application and provide a recommendation for interim approval or rejection within 90 days.

10. Finding what you need…
Do you know where to find these three things in the current Bylaws?
Application requirements for new designated Transplant Programs.
Member responsibilities and requirements for Transplant Program periods of inactivity.
Member responsibilities when there is a change in key personnel at a Transplant Program.

11. Finding what you need…
If you wanted to find the application requirements for new designated Transplant Programs, in the current Bylaws you’d go to…
Appendix B, II. Transplant Hospitals
Appendix B attachment I, XIII Transplant Programs
Appendix B, Attachment I, XIII (10-22)
Appendix B, Attachment III Model Elements for Controlled DCD Recovery Protocols

12. Application requirements before…

13. After…
And now… simply go to the new Appendix D: Membership Requirements for Transplant Hospitals and Transplant Programs

14. Inactivity before…
Transplant Program activity requirements currently reside in:
Appendix B.II.C. Functional Inactivity, Inactive Transplant Program Status, Relinquishment of Designated Transplant Program Status and Termination of Designated Transplant Program Status
Inactivity information can now be easily found in the new Appendix K: Transplant Program Inactivity, Withdrawal, and Termination.

15. After…
Here’s what the new Appendix K looks like…

16. Key personnel changes before…
Transplant Program responsibilities and requirements when there is a change in key personnel currently reside in:
Appendix B, Attachment I. Designated Transplant Program Criteria, Section III. Reporting Key Personnel Changes
Member responsibilities when there is a change in key personnel can now be easily found in Appendix D: Membership Requirements for Transplant Hospitals and Transplant Programs.

17. After…
Here’s what this new section looks like…

18. Appendix L Substantive Rewrite
Appendix L: Reviews, Actions and Due Process (formerly known as Appendix A in the current Bylaws) underwent a substantive rewrite.
It was rewritten with substantial changes to content by an MPSC workgroup.
The substantive rewrite of this Appendix was approved for Public Comment by the MPSC at its December 2011 meeting.
Public Comment is February 3, 2012 – April 6, 2012.
June 18-19, 2012 OPTN Board Meeting for approval.

19. The Public Comment Survey
The specially-designed website with focused survey can be accessed from the OPTN website at:
Show them the website.

20. The Public Comment Survey
I’m just going to show you what the website looks like, since it’s different from the normal public comment process. It’s broken up by sections, so you can comment on one or more sections of the rewritten bylaws.

21. The Public Comment Survey
General comments about the rewrite and the entire document may be sent to:
Show them the website.

22. Questions?