Arizona nonprofit uses GPS trackers to monitor donated organs

New technology device allows organs to transport from donor to recipient

The Donor Network of Arizona is tracking all donated organs which will allow the organization and transplant centers to track the organ in real time.

PHOENIX - The Donor Network of Arizona started using GPS technology to track donated organs as they head to their final destinations and are used to save lives.

The program started in 2020 and is now a permanent solution, allowing patients to track organs.

PJ Geraghty, Vice President of Clinical Services Donor Network of Arizona, says it allows the organization and receiving center to track the organ in real time.

"So we can let them know where they are at any given time and we can let the transplant center know how soon the organ is going to arrive," Geraghty said.

The GPS tracker is vital for transporting donated organs from one place to another.

"There is a 0.01% chance that a donated organ that is supposed to save someone's life gets lost and results in it not making it. So it's really low, but we know that even one organ could mean life or death for someone waiting for it. There's roughly 108,000 people on the national organ waiting list and their second chance at life relies on getting the organ to their transplant center in a timely fashion," Nico Santos with the nonprofit.

60% of organs are donated in Arizona from the network and 40% are donated to other states.

Learn more about the network here www.dnaz.org/