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. 2006 Sep 29;10(5):166. doi: 10.1186/cc5038

Table 1.

Glossary of terms used

Term Details
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services A government agency in charge of providing health care and services to the elderly (≥ 65 years) and individuals without health insurance in the USA
Circulatory death Irreversible cessation of circulation and cardiac mechanical pump activity
Department of Health and Human Services A government agency with oversight on the development and implementation of health care policy in the USA
Donation service area (DSA) The administrative and operational joining of an organ procurement organization with its regional donor and transplant hospitals within the assigned geographic location
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations A nongovernmental commission responsible for the safety and quality of care provided by health care organizations (for instance, hospitals) through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement
Institute of Medicine A nonprofit private organization providing independent, objective, and evidence-based advice to policy makers, health professionals, the private sector, and the public on matters of biomedical science, medicine, and health
Neurologic death Irreversible cessation of all neurologic, including brain stem, activity
Organ procurement organization (OPO) A private, nonprofit organization operating under government contract to provide services covering all aspects of cadaveric organ donation, including donor selection, consenting, preparation, recovery and transportation of procured organs. Each organization is assigned to a specific geographic area with a total of 58 organizations covering the 52 states of the USA