Service Area Strategic Plan
11/23/2009   5:36 am
Department of Health (601)
Biennium: 2008-10
Service Area 1 of 1
Anatomical Services (601 403 01)
Description

This service area provides donated cadavers to medical schools and research centers in the Commonwealth of Virginia for anatomical study. The nonprofit State Anatomical Program, supervised by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) within the Virginia Department of Health, is the only program in Virginia authorized to receive donation of human bodies for scientific study for the teaching of anatomy, surgery, and performing research in Virginia’s medical schools, colleges, universities, and research facilities.
Background Information
Mission Alignment and Authority
  • Describe how this service supports the agency mission
    This service area is aligned with the VDH mission to promote and protect public health by providing anatomical material through a donor program to medical education and research institutions which are studying new ways to prevent illness, treat diseases, and develop innovative surgical techniques.
  • Describe the Statutory Authority of this Service
    The State Anatomical Gift Act, § 32.1, Chapter 8, Article 2 and Article 3 of the Code of Virginia, provides the authority by which the program is operated through the State Health Commissioner. The sale of body parts is prohibited in Virginia. The Code of Virginia states who is eligible to donate their bodies, how bodies should be distributed, the records to be kept, the cremation or burial criteria, the importation of anatomical material, and the penalty for trafficking in bodies.
Customers
Agency Customer Group Customer Customers served annually Potential annual customers
Donors 500 750
Funeral homes 100 150
Government based programs 3 3
Medical schools/University and College Anatomy Programs 28 30
Nursing homes, hospice, assisted living centers 50 75
Research programs 6 9

Anticipated Changes To Agency Customer Base
It is anticipated that the average age of a donor will continue to rise as the life expectancy average increases.
Partners
Partner Description
[None entered]
Products and Services
  • Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
    New advances in embalming practices and and increased need of school programs for quicker delivery will result in increased expenses (e.g., gasoline, rapid body transport, and embalming) for the service area.
  • Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
    Due to the rising expenses (which include the rise of gas prices, body transport, and embalming fluid price increases) related to running the program, the Anatomical Program anticipates increasing its charge to schools for cadavers during during the 2008-2010 biennium (FY09).

    To increase donations to meet the customer demands, the Anatomical Program is planning on providing more educational programs and mailings to assisted living facilities and hospice programs.
  • Listing of Products and/or Services
    • Obtaining donor consent
    • Mailing brochures and information
    • Keeping a donor database
    • Storing complete records on each donor
    • Coordinating transport of deceased donors from the location of death to Richmond
    • Embalming cadavers
    • Preparing cadavers for medical school or research program delivery
    • Filing the death certificate for donors
    • Obtaining information from families
    • Relaying information to schools if family requests the return of cremated remains
    • Transporting prepared cadavers to medical schools and research centers
    • Invoicing the schools per cadaver for expenses
    • Ensuring the schools and research centers are educated in the program guidelines and the laws governing the program
Finance
  • Financial Overview
    The State Anatomical Program budget comprises 100% Special Funds. Funding comes from the fees paid by the schools and research programs for each cadaver to cover the expense of staff, supplies, transport, embalming, and administrative costs. The current cost per cadaver is $650.00.

    Due to the rising expenses related to the program (including the rise of gas prices, use of transport companies, and embalming fluid price increases) the Anatomical Program anticipates increasing its charge to schools per cadaver.
  • Financial Breakdown
    FY 2009    FY 2010
      General Fund     Nongeneral Fund        General Fund     Nongeneral Fund  
    Base Budget $0 $210,785    $0 $210,785
    Change To Base $0 $0    $0 $0
               
    Service Area Total   $0  $210,785     $0  $210,785 
Human Resources
  • Human Resources Overview
    [Nothing entered]
  • Human Resource Levels
    Effective Date      
    Total Authorized Position level Ø    
    Vacant Positions Ø    
    Current Employment Level 0.0    
    Non-Classified (Filled)    
    Full-Time Classified (Filled)    breakout of Current Employment Level
    Part-Time Classified (Filled)    
    Faculty (Filled)    
    Wage    
    Contract Employees    
    Total Human Resource Level 0.0   = Current Employment Level + Wage and Contract Employees
  • Factors Impacting HR
    [Nothing entered]
  • Anticipated HR Changes
    [Nothing entered]
Service Area Objectives
 
  • Increase the number of donor cadavers available to medical schools and research centers in Virginia, in order to provide sufficient anatomical material to properly teach anatomy of the human body.
    Objective Description
    This service area provides donated cadavers to medical schools and research centers in the Commonwealth of Virginia for anatomical study. The nonprofit State Anatomical Program, supervised by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) within the Virginia Department of Health, is the only program in Virginia authorized to receive donation of human bodies for scientific study for the teaching of anatomy, surgery, and performing research in Virginia’s medical schools, colleges, universities, and research facilities.
    Objective Strategies
    • Conduct an outreach program to 75 assisted living facilities to educate potential donors on the process and benefits of the donation program. This will increase the donor base with individuals that are at a time in their lives when they are planning for their eventual death. The outreach will include a mailing of informational brochures and on site presentations at facilities.
    • Distribute materials for funeral directors to give to families who may want to use the program as an alternative to funeral services when family financial resources are limited.
    Objective Measures
    • Number of cadavers provided to Virginia medical schools and research centers.
      Measure Class:
      Other
      Measure Type:
      Output
      Measure Frequency:
      Annual
      Preferred Trend:
      Up
      Measure Baseline Value:
      310
      Date:
      6/30/2005

      Measure Baseline Description: Number of cadavers

      Measure Target Value:
      360
      Date:
      6/30/2010

      Measure Target Description: Number of cadavers

      Data Source and Calculation: The data source for this calculation is the numbering system used by the anatomical program each year to number the cadavers to protect their identities. • This can also be measured by calculating the amount the recipient medical schools and research centers have been billed for cadavers.


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