Mike GeRue, RN, MSN, chief operating officer, Parkview Heart Institute, is being recognized as a 2022 “Champion for Donation” by the Indiana Donor Network (IDN). He is one of only four individuals statewide being honored this year.
According to the IDN, Champions for Donation are individuals and organizations undertaking exceptional efforts to advance donation and transplantation through direct clinical work or advocacy on behalf of the mission of the IDN.
Mike was selected as a Champion for Donation for his leadership in the pivotal launch of the iReferral program at Parkview Regional Medical Center (PRMC). We invited Mike to tell us more about iReferral – an online donor referral platform for nurses and providers, allowing them to report potential donors to the IDN quickly and efficiently – and his involvement with the IDN.
How did you become involved with the IDN?
Many years ago, when I was a nurse in the STICU, my manager asked for staff engagement with donation. I raised my hand, and began working on education, awareness, and partnerships with the IOPO (now IDN). More than 20 years later, here I am.
Prior to being named PHI COO, I was a service line leader for Parkview Neurosciences. Donation most often occurs in the intensive care units, and donations are often associated with brain death, hence the connection with Neurosciences. Most donation now occurs within our MICU and STICU settings, but I’ve been a long-term member on the committee. The amazing teams within Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, Chaplaincy, IT, Social Work, Registration and the Parkview Police – to name a few – do the work that leads to donation.
What are some of the special projects you’re working on with Parkview and IDN?
With iReferral, we are working on leveraging our EPIC platform (electronic medical record system) to drive automated referral processes that don’t require a phone call to IDN to initiate. This allows our bedside care teams to spend more time with their patients and ensures we meet metrics for timely notification and referrals. Since July 2021, iReferral has resulted in an 18% increase in overall referrals to the IDN from Parkview. Currently, 50% of all organ referrals from PRMC come via iReferral.
Our team is also a part of a national effort to increase kidney donations. This is a great collaboration between hospitals, organ procurement organizations, transplant centers, patient and family member representatives, End Stage Renal Disease Networks and dialysis facilities coming together to create national, system-wide improvements to increase kidney donation and transplantation rates. Sponsored by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the collaboration is focused on delivering more kidney donations to eligible patients.
What does it mean to you to be recognized by the IDN?
It’s humbling. This award represents the teamwork and dedication of the entire donor council. I give all the kudos to the team at the bedside who have implemented iReferral and recognized the ability it has to help our nurses and respiratory therapists – and the entire clinical team – spend more time with their patients.
What impact do you hope to have on donation in the future?
I want to continue to see us increase donations amongst eligible patients. I want to continue to see us improve our referral rates and timely notifications, and I want to see us partner with IDN on community education and awareness.
Interested in becoming an organ donor? You can learn more about the process and sign up to save lives at donatelifeindiana.org.