Referring potential donors in a hospital (HOS)
Héma-Québec is here to help. Give our coordinators a call any day of the week between 6 a.m. and midnight at 1 888 366-7338, option 2, or send them an email at coordonnateurs.th@hema-quebec.qc.ca.
Procedure for in-hospital donor referrals
In the case of death in hospital, human tissue donation can only take place if death has been confirmed, i.e. if cardiorespiratory arrest without life support has been observed.
Donations of human tissue can be made up to the day of the patient's 86th birthday. In all cases, a medical evaluation is carried out by Héma-Québec to validate the eligibility of potential donors. Depending on age, the following human tissues can be harvested:
- Cardiovascular tissue: from birth to age 60;
- Skin and musculoskeletal tissue: from age 15 to 70;
- Eye tissue: from 2 to 85 years of age inclusively.
Héma-Québec will make the usual verifications of the consent registers of the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) and the Chambre des notaires du Québec (CNQ). Following verification of both registers, hospital staff will be informed by telephone of the presence or absence of a consent or refusal.
If consent is registered, or if the healthcare professional has obtained the family's agreement to be contacted about tissue donation, Héma-Québec will handle the process, including recording telephone consent with the family and qualifying the donor, if applicable.
Identify and refer the potential donor by contacting Héma-Québec
A phone referral line available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, can be used to recommend a potential donor at any time. Simply call: 1 888 366-7338 extension 2.
Consult the procedure for donor identification and referral.
Available tools
The following tools have been developed by Héma-Québec and are available to assist you in accompanying your patient loved ones and family in the decision-making process to consent to donate human tissue.
For healthcare professionals:
- Procedure for donor identification and referral
- Memory aid card
- Frequently asked questions
- Communicating with the family
- Video to understand the process of recommending a potential donor
Intended for family members and loved ones:
Accredited training for healthcare professionals:
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