Episode 64: Understanding How Organ Procurement Organizations Are Financed

This Thing Called Life

On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson winds down the series on ‘The Donation Process Through The Lens Of The OPO’, exploring how things work and who is involved. If you missed the previous episode in the series, you can find them at lifepassiton.org or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Today, Andi talks with Maryanne Krumpleman, the finance manager. Tune in to hear how this piece of the puzzle comes together.

Episode Highlights:

• Andi explains how Life Center works with so many different entities to facilitate organ donation.
• The United Network of Organ Sharing houses the waitlist of the more than 100,000 people waiting for an organ.
• Andi reminds the audience of the ‘book ends’ to this process and that it is the people. The people who designate themselves to be donors or their families…it all begins with that yes and that is how everything unfolds.
• If you’re thinking about a career change, as many look to do something with more meaning, organ donation is a wonderful career path; They give back every single day.
• Maryanne Krumpleman is the finance manager of Life Center. Prior to COVID in 2019, she made the decision to leave corporate America where she had spent most of her career. She says it was the best decision of her life to start working for Life Center in 2020.
• Five years ago, Maryanne’s best friend’s husband was in need of a kidney. It turns out his wife was a match to be a donor which is very unusual. They went through the transplant process in 2017 and are doing very well today.
• What does the finance department do at the Life Center?
• Maryanne explains that they are a nonprofit organization but structured similarly to a hospital.
• How do all of the employees get paid as well as health insurance, insurance on the building, all other vendors that are included?
• After a family gives the authorization, Life Center’s finance department takes on the cost of donation.
• Andi asks Maryanne Krumpleman to explain the aspects of finance.
• There are many parts to the ‘checks and balances’ of the finances for Life Center. Maryanne explains how many things must get approved by the board of directors and Executive Director as well as audits and aligning with all government regulations.
• What is a sack fee?
• Healthcare in general is expensive and Andi explains there is a cost to make everything operate efficiently and appropriately.
• Maryanne explains that there is a pay scale for different types of tissues.
• Andi asks Maryanne what the most challenging aspects of her job are.
• All of the managers have a great passion for the overall mission.
• Maryanne explains that in a corporate world, all the meetings were about how much money could be made, the bottom line, etc. She shares how it is truly a breath of fresh air at Life Center because the focus is not on money but on the mission of saving and enhancing the lives of people.
• What kinds of skills would you need to fill a similar role to Maryanne’s?
• Maryanne talks about how they receive memorial contributions and how their responsibility is to use those funds to spread the word and utilize them well.
• Andi says the generosity of the community has been overwhelming to see over the years and the importance of educating the community in return.
• home at the end of the day.” -Maryanne
• “Today there are 104,869 men, women, and children who are in need of a lifesaving organ and also today 21 of those individuals will die because the organ they needed was not available,” says Andi. She explains how you can help.

3 Key Points:

1. Maryanne’s eyes were opened to how many people are on the list waiting for kidneys specifically when she was alongside her best friend and her husband going through the transplant process.
2. There are many aspects of the finance department. Maryanne explains all aspects from weekly, biweekly, monthly, quarterly, etc. and how all the monitoring and auditing works as well as in accordance with the government.
3. Life Center is passionately committed to the mission of saving and enhancing lives. It is challenging and very rewarding. The organization is set apart by how all of their functions work together for the overall goal and truly making a difference.

Resources: https://aopo.org/ https://lifepassiton.org/ https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH