LifeLINES

“I want to be part of the solutions to the complicated problems our industry is facing.”

Gift of Life Michigan’s president and CEO, Dorrie Dils, was named president of the Association for Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) in June.

Dorrie will continue to lead Gift of Life as she spends the next year leading the national organization that represents 48 organ procurement organizations across the country.

She recently talked with LifeLINES Editor Betsy Miner-Swartz about what’s going on nationally in the donation and transplant fields and what her role with AOPO means for Michigan.

Dorrie also shared her acceptance speech from her appointment in San Antonio. See an excerpt in the left sidebar, and watch the entire speech on YouTube.

LifeLINES: Congratulations on your presidency with AOPO. There’s so much going on nationally with the donation and transplant industry right now. Can you talk about the challenges and what you’ll be doing to meet them?

Dorrie: Thank you. I’m proud to represent us all at the national level.

And, yes, people may have seen some media stories about our industry lately and realized we’re being heavily criticized. The salacious stories are filled with partial truths about underperformance and often focus the entire responsibility on organ procurement organizations (OPOs), which simply is not true.

The truth is that organ donation and transplantation in the United States is not a failing system. It needs improvement, much like every other area in the U.S. health care system, but it’s certainly not failing.

The donation and transplantation system has been growing for many years, and we can all agree that that’s a good thing, but we must continue to push and do more. We need to further the whole ecosystem of donation and transplantation, not just the donation side, and I am pleased that some of that work is being done now. The challenges are unique and complex, and I am excited about the collaboration to solve them.

OPOs are recovering more organs than ever before. But there’s a system problem that’s preventing some organs from getting to the right patients. AOPO is going to partner with other entities to try to dig into what we need to do about it.

There’s also an equity issue. We know the waiting list is heavily populated with Black and brown people, but their numbers should be significantly higher. What’s happening to prevent that and what roles do OPOs play in making sure people get on the list?

LifeLINES: What does your AOPO presidency mean for Gift of Life Michigan?

Dorrie: Well, shining a light on our organization has its pros and cons.

On one hand, it’s an opportunity for us to be seen as a leader in the country. Not just me, but my entire team which is working to do the things we need to do to speak on a national level and work with policymakers.

Gift of Life Michigan is innovative, and we’re accomplishing things other OPOs want to learn about. My involvement at the national level will bring attention to those things, which is positive.

But some have heavily scrutinized AOPO, and I do not want to draw unnecessary attention to our organization. I believe it’s always better to be at the table — not just me, but Gift of Life Michigan.

I want to be part of the solutions to the complicated problems our industry is facing. I want us to work with government agencies so that someday patients no longer die waiting on the list.

I hope to bring light to all the excellent work going on here in Michigan. This isn’t about me, it’s about all the people with me who are some of the most selfless, dedicated individuals in healthcare and, as I said before, I’m proud to represent them.

LifeLINES: What does your AOPO presidency mean for you?

Dorrie: I’ve been in this field for 33 years, and I’ve dedicated my adult life to it. There are certain final things I’ve wanted to do in my career, and one is to serve in a larger role in AOPO.

As an extension of my leadership in AOPO, I will have the opportunity to serve on the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) board. OPTN is the United States’ transplant system, which connects donation and transplantation and works to increase the supply of organs for those in need.

That’s meaningful to me. This is a critical time in our field, and I’m looking forward to contributing to the important discussions and debate that will improve the system.

I am incredibly proud of my career path. I’ve worked hard, and it’s taken sacrifice to get here for me and my family.

I grew up very modestly. When I was young the thought of even going to college was a stretch. So, to sit in this seat and serve in this way is humbling and truly an honor.

I always say that if you work hard, stay loyal to your morals and ethics, and ignore people who tell you that you can’t, you can accomplish so much.