Innovation & Research

Copernicus: Transforming Organ and Tissue Donation Through Innovation and Collaboration

November 18, 2025

A New Era of Donation Technology

LifeGift has taken a bold step forward with the implementation of Copernicus, a platform designed to streamline organ and tissue donation referrals, enhance communication with hospitals and ultimately save more lives. Built to replace traditional, manual methods of reporting, Copernicus is redefining how referrals are made and managed by offering a secure, efficient and user-friendly system that integrates seamlessly with hospital workflows.

Why Copernicus Matters

In the past, donation referrals often relied on phone calls that were time-consuming and vulnerable to delays. Copernicus provides hospitals with a real-time, electronic referral system directly accessible within the patient’s chart. With a few clicks, clinicians can submit referrals quickly and accurately, ensuring no opportunity for donation is missed.

This transformation is not just about technology;  it’s about improving outcomes:

• Timeliness: Rapid referral submission means more timely engagement with families and care teams.
• Accuracy: Electronic documentation reduces errors, ensuring all critical information is captured.
• Accountability: Hospitals and OPOs can track referrals and responses, creating transparency and shared ownership.

Success with Houston Methodist System Hospitals

In partnership with Houston Methodist System Hospitals, LifeGift successfully launched Copernicus, creating a strong proof point for the platform’s ability to improve timely referrals and strengthen collaboration across multiple campuses. Clinical teams have embraced the system’s streamlined workflows, and early results show significant reductions in referral variance, with improved alignment to CMS Conditions of Participation.

The Houston Methodist launch underscored how Copernicus can be embedded into large, complex systems while maintaining a patient-and family-centered approach.

Expanding to Texas Health Harris System Hospitals

Building on the success with Houston Methodist, LifeGift is proud to announce the upcoming launch of Copernicus across Texas Health Harris Methodist hospitals in November 2025. This expansion marks a major milestone in advancing electronic referrals in North Texas, enhancing timeliness, accuracy and collaboration within another leading hospital system. If you have any questions about Copernicus, contact LifeGift’s Shante’ Wells, senior director of donation systems at swells@lifegift.org.