EP 110: Transforming Organ Procurement Through Innovation Outreach and Leadership with Joel Chase

In this episode of This Thing Called Life, Andi Johnson sits down with Joel Chase, Vice President of Organ Services at Network for Hope, to discuss his role and how it has evolved following a recent merger. Joel shares insights into the integration of two smaller Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) into Network for Hope, the strategic changes that followed, and how he is leading a growing team.

Joel walks through the organ donation process, from the initial referral to organ recovery, emphasizing the importance of supporting donor families, transplant recipients, and OPO staff who navigate these complex and life-changing moments. He also reflects on his career journey, the challenges of balancing leadership with personal life, and the impact of medical advancements on the field of organ donation.

 

Episode Highlights:

• Joel’s Role & the Organ Donation Process: He oversees the entire donation process, from organ referral and evaluation to allocation and recovery.
• Navigating Growth Post-Merger: The transition from 32 full-time employees at Legacy Life Center to over 90 at Network for Hope has required new leadership strategies.
• Evolving Case Timelines: The duration of cases has expanded from 24 to over 50 hours, depending on testing and logistical challenges.
• What Drives Joel: He is motivated by mission-driven work, helping people, and witnessing his team’s success.
• Biggest Leadership Challenge: Time management in an organization that never stops and balancing work with family life.
• Leadership Philosophy: Leading with openness, support, and grace while prioritizing an inclusive leadership style.
• Memorable Moments: Joel shares a powerful story of how a leader’s critical decision helped save three lives, a defining learning experience in his career.
• Public Awareness: He encourages open conversations about organ donation with loved ones and addresses concerns from those hesitant to register.

Key Takeaways:

1. Leadership in Organ Donation: Joel shares insights into leading a non-profit OPO, managing growth, and the importance of learning through challenges ("failing forward").
2. The Organ Donation Process: Understanding how OPOs evaluate, allocate, and recover organs while collaborating with hospitals to ensure successful transplants.
3. Encouraging Public Awareness: Addressing misconceptions about organ donation and why open conversations with family are essential.

Tweetable Quotes:

 

1. “I've always been fascinated with medicine, so you get to kind of play nurse or doctor without necessarily having to have the license. So I thought that that was just a great, intriguing career.” - Joel Chase
2. “We are there to help facilitate, to make donation happen in the best way possible, and in these 24 hour shifts that a lot of the team members are working and all the things that they're doing, it's very hard to expect perfection when a lot of staff want to do their best all the time, and it's just not possible. We're all humans, and we have to have some grace for each other too.” - Joel Chase
3. “I think that we should learn from our experiences, whether they're good or bad. If we don't learn from them, then I think that's more of a failure. Otherwise, it's an opportunity to improve and do better the next time. So I definitely like that mindset, and it kind of ties into knowing that we're not perfect people, and I don't think we're ever going to have a perfect A to Z case” - Joel Chase
4. “It's the OPOs job to evaluate the patient's medical record and their current clinical condition for organ donation potential. A lot of times that could mean that the patient ends up surviving their injury, and they go through the rehabilitation process” - Joel Chase

Resources:

https://getoffthelist.org/

https://www.networkforhope.org/

https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/

https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO

https://www.youtube.com/@NetworkforHope.

https://aopo.org/