National Kidney Registry Prepares for New Seven-Day Testing Mandate

The new OPTN policy, effective August 17, forces transplant centers to tighten their testing protocols to prevent delays in kidney surgeries. Garet Hil, CEO of the National Kidney Registry, noted that the organization has already been managing expedited testing for years across more than 100 hospitals. Their current turnaround time averages approximately two days, which allows centers to accommodate the shift without risking surgical cancellations.

Beyond the specific HIV and West Nile Virus requirements, the registry is expanding the seven-day standard to include all 23 required serology tests and final crossmatch procedures. Member centers are already leveraging this infrastructure for non-NKR direct donation transplants. By consolidating these critical assessments onto a single platform, the registry aims to mitigate potential bottlenecks as hospitals adjust to the stricter federal guidelines.