Procedure for referring a potential donor
- Procedure for in-hospital donor referrals
- Procedure for palliative care donor referrals (S.Pall.)
- Procedure for MAID (medical assistance in dying) donor referrals
- Contact us
Héma-Québec has served as a supplier of human tissue for transplants for over 20 years.
As a strategic health care network partner, Héma-Québec has managed the sole public human tissue bank in Québec since 2001. Héma Québec is in charge of collecting, processing and distributing human tissue to hospitals across Québec to meet the needs of Quebeckers. Beginning in fall 2024, Héma-Québec will become the exclusive distributor of human tissues for the entire Québec health care network.
Human tissue donation changes the lives of sick patients and survivors of accidents who need transplants. Many types of human tissue can be collected for transplant, including eye tissue, heart valves, cutaneous tissue, arterial tissue and musculoskeletal tissue, like tendons and bones. A single tissue donation can help up to 20 people, whether it’s with cutaneous tissue to treat burn victims or a cornea transplant to restore a patient’s vision.
These donations are made possible first and foremost thanks to the people who consent to human tissue donation, but also thanks to referrals from health professionals. Whether a patient passes away from natural causes or MAID, human tissue donation can help the grieving process and be an essential part of providing quality care. Héma-Québec needs health professionals like you to help fulfill its mission.
You play a key role in successfully identifying and referring potential donors and educating and speaking with their family members about tissue donation. By helping facilitate tissue donation, you are a beacon of hope for patients waiting for transplants.
Procedure for in-hospital donor referrals
In your practice, you may have patients who pass away from natural causes. When this occurs in hospital, you must identify whether the patient is a potential donor. To qualify, the patient must have passed away within the past 24 hours and must not meet any of the exclusion criteria.
When a patient passes away, we encourage you to bring up the possibility of tissue donation with the patient’s loved ones. This should be done with the greatest respect, delicacy and empathy.
During this discussion, your job is to:
- Share the potential benefits of donation
- Explain the donation process in detail to loved ones
- Refer the potential donor to Héma-Québec
Procedure for palliative care donor referrals (S.Pall.)
Human tissue donation can play a crucial role in the MAID process by providing patients an opportunity to leave behind an important legacy after they pass.
Procedure for MAID (medical assistance in dying) donor referrals
Human tissue donation can play a crucial role in the MAID process by providing patients an opportunity to leave behind an important legacy after they pass.
Contact us
Héma-Québec staff members provide support to hospitals and help them refer potential donors. Contact us to speak with someone who can help:
- Phone : 1 888 366-7338 (Available 24/7 for donor referrals)
- Email : coordonnateurs.th@hema-quebec.qc.ca
- Fax : 418 780-2097