What is the Donor Risk Assessment Interview (or DRAI)?

The Donor Risk Assessment Interview (DRAI) is a series of questions about a potential donor’s health history, given to their next-of-kin during the beginning of the donation process.

The DRAI is a tool to document accurate information regarding a potential donor’s general health history. The DRAI is only one step in the processes used to ensure the safety of organs and tissues for transplantation, but it is an extremely important step.

Early in the donation process, a LifeSource team member goes through the DRAI paperwork (over the phone or in person) with a potential donor’s next-of-kin. Answering these questions typically takes 30 – 45 minutes. Sometimes, families worry they will not be able to answer many questions but often find they’re able to answer more of the questions than they thought they would be able to. The DRAI is not a “test” – the questions do not have right or wrong answers and are meant to gather information about a loved one’s life and are answered to the best of one’s knowledge.

Examples of Donor Risk Assessment Interview (DRAI) Questions

The questions in the DRAI cover a person’s health history over time. Some questions ask about current health, some regarding the last 6 months, last year, last 5 years or ever. Some examples of questions on the DRAI:

• Where was the person born? 
• Did they have a primary physician? 
• Were they on any prescription medications? 
• Did they take non-Prescribed Medications or Dietary Supplements? 
• Did they recently have: fever, cough, rash, weight loss, mental decline, etc. 
• Known allergies. 
• Vaccines they received. 
• Was the person sexually active? 
• Had they come into contact with someone else’s blood? 
• Recreational drug use. 
• Did they ever live or travel outside the United States? 

This is not the full list of questions, but examples of what kinds of questions would be asked during the DRAI, so family and friends know what to expect. The criteria for organ, tissue, and eye donation is constantly changing, which means that the questions in the DRAI may change also change.

How the DRAI is Used 

The DRAI is a confidential document, protected by HIPAA. The information it contains is only shared with necessary medical personnel as part of their assessment to determine if a donation is possible.  

All questions on the DRAI are medically relevant and asked to ensure that any gifts from a donor are safe to transplant, although the DRAI does not determine donor suitability. Medical professionals determine if organs and tissues are eligible to be transplanted. Each tissue processor determines suitability for tissue donation. Transplant surgeons determine suitability for organ donors. 

The DRAI is a tool that is used in addition to our review of medical charts and records. It helps create a more full picture of a person’s health history and fill in gaps in a person’s medical chart. It is important for families to understand that they do not need to know everything about a loved one’s medical history – answering questions to the best of their ability is enough.  

Other Information About the Donor Risk Assessment Interview (DRAI)

We recognize that this critical and mandatory document is long and some questions can be uncomfortable. Our team goes through the questions as compassionately and painlessly as possible – moving at a speed that is comfortable for those answering questions.   

Sometimes, questions in the DRAI bring up stories about the person who has passed. It is a gift to hear about the lives of donors. We are honored to walk with families through the donation process and to be part of their loved one’s last act of kindness – sharing the gift of life through donation. 

“The questions sometimes prompt a laugh or a story. The questions about travel or surgeries often prompt interesting tales. Once, the question about taking growth hormones made the family laugh because the patient had always wanted to be taller. We are so grateful that families are willing to take the time to share about their loved one.”
Laura Shrode, Family Support Coordinator