National scientific registry of organ transplantation: data needs and uses.

There is a lot of work yet to be accomplished through the scientific registry, which will be made more efficient by the consolidation of information into patient-specific files rather than the existing "file by form" set-up. Additionally, users will be able to input data directly, eliminating the problem of the time delays between transplant and follow-up dates and the actual use of the forms. The registry data also will become more useful as the database grows. The data on long-term graft and patient survival will directly influence future policy decisions and transplant practices. The clinical outcomes of transplantation also will be influenced by donor management and organ preservation techniques, all of which can be addressed through the use of registry data. The ultimate goal is to make transplantation more reliable, more predictable, more widely available, and less expensive. The national, comprehensive database accomplishes that goal.