Tri-State area hospitals are seeking to reassure patients and the community following the federal government announcing it will begin decertifying Network for Hope. The organ donation organization has headquarters in Cincinnati and Louisville and serves Greater Cincinnati, as well as all of Kentucky and parts of Indiana and West Virginia.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday it will begin the process of decertifying the organization. The move follows a federal investigation that found the group had prepared numerous patients for organ donation while they were still alive.
As Kentucky Public Radio reports, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy said "the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has reviewed 351 cases between 2021 and 2024, and found nearly 30% showed 'concerning failures,' including many in which patients had neurological signs that should rule out donation. Network for Hope covers Kentucky and parts of Ohio, West Virginia and Indiana."
Local reaction
Tri-State hospitals issued a joint statement through the Health Collaborative Wednesday afternoon reiterating the importance of organ donation and saying it's "imperative that organ donation stay uninterrupted here locally."
"Area hospitals really remain committed to the highest industry standards of organ donation and transplantation, and are really confident that organ donation services in Greater Cincinnati will continue without interruption," says Tiffany Mattingly, chief engagement officer, and vice president of Clinical Strategies. "Our local hospitals are hopeful that any issues identified by HHS can be resolved promptly, so that the Network for Hope can return to its full focus to their critical life-saving mission."
She says area hospitals don't anticipate any impact on patient care, transplant services, or organ donation practices because of the Health and Human Services decision.
UC Health echoes that sentiment in a separate statement, saying "Because UC Health works with multiple organ procurement partners, we do not anticipate any significant disruption to patient care or transplant services at this time."
St. Elizabeth also issued a statement, noting, "We are aware of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services decision to decertify Network for Hope. At this time, our focus remains on ensuring continuity of services and working closely with appropriate regulatory authorities to understand next steps."
Locally, counties served by Network for Hope include: Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton and Warren counties in Ohio; Dearborn and Ohio counties in Indiana; and all of Kentucky.
In a statement, Network for Hope says it "strongly disagrees" with the decision and plans to appeal. The organization says it is compliant with all Organ Procurement & Transplantation Network policies, and created a "pause in procedure" process that is now Kentucky law.
"Despite this, and despite [Network for Hope's] demonstrated dedication to improving organ and tissue donation outcomes across its service area, Secretary Kennedy has acted to decertify our [organ procurement organization] that serves seven million people across four states," says Barry Massa, CEO. "As a result, more than 3,000 people waiting for a life-saving organ transplant will be negatively impacted."
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