Contracting Transportation Services

Selecting and contracting transportation providers is one of the most important decisions in building a reliable brain donation program. Contracts create consistency, hold providers accountable, and reassure families that every transfer will be handled with professionalism and care.

Types of Transportation Providers

• Dedicated removal services
  Some companies focus solely on body removal and transport. These providers often work with hospitals, hospices, or research programs, giving them valuable experience with sensitive timelines and specialized needs. Their reliability comes from both training and repetition.

  • Example: B&R Removal has decades of experience with brain donation and research partnerships, making them trusted partners for programs across the region. Experienced providers anticipate challenges — such as difficult pickup locations or after-hours calls — and resolve them efficiently.

• Mortuaries with transport capability
  Many mortuaries can serve dual roles: they handle transport and provide a site for brain removal. This approach minimizes transfers, shortens timelines, and reduces stress for families who prefer to work with a single, trusted provider.

  • Mortuaries are also familiar with family needs, making them strong partners for programs aiming to balance logistics with compassion.

• Back-up providers
  No single provider can be available at all times. Weather events, staffing shortages, or overlapping commitments can interfere with transport. Programs must identify and contract at least one or two alternate providers who can step in when needed.

  • Having backups ensures families are never left waiting and tissue integrity is never compromised.

  • Backups should receive the same orientation to program expectations as primary providers.

Qualities of a Strong Transport Partner

When evaluating potential providers, look for:

• Responsiveness: Do they answer calls promptly, even after hours?

• Prioritization: Will this provider make your brain donation the priority?

• Professionalism: Do staff present themselves respectfully to families and facility staff?

• Reliability: Do they consistently arrive on time and follow through?

• Experience: Have they worked with medical programs, research donations, or sensitive family situations?

• Flexibility: Can they adapt to unique cases (e.g., rural pickup, short-notice requests)?

• Capacity: Do they have enough staff and vehicles to handle multiple requests at once?

Red flags: Avoid providers who are slow to respond, dismissive of family needs, or inconsistent in record keeping. These issues can quickly erode trust.

Why Contracts Matter

Contracting providers is not just an administrative task — it is an ethical and operational safeguard.

• Accountability: Contracts outline clear expectations for timeliness, conduct, and documentation.

• Standardization: Providers agree to follow your program’s SOPs, ensuring consistency across cases.

• Legal Protection: Contracts protect both the program and the families by setting out liability and compliance requirements.

• Family Confidence: Families gain peace of mind knowing the program works with established, professional partners rather than ad hoc services.

Example: If a family has not chosen a mortuary yet, an experienced contracted provider can step in to recommend options or coordinate care. This support reduces the family’s burden during an emotional time.

Training Tip

When onboarding new staff, emphasize that not all transport providers are equal. Dedicated, contracted services protect the program’s reputation, safeguard tissue quality, and — most importantly — preserve the trust of families.

Core Considerations for Transportation

1. Timeliness

Time is one of the most critical factors in brain donation. From a research perspective, the sooner the brain is recovered after death, the better the quality of the tissue for scientific study. From a family perspective, swift pickup also eases stress by preventing long waits.

• Aim for pickup as quickly as possible, ideally within 2–4 hours of notification.

• Coordinate in advance with mortuaries, removal services, and hospitals to streamline approvals.

• Keep on-call staff and providers aware of upcoming expected deaths (e.g., hospice patients) so they can be prepared.

• Build contingency plans for weekends, holidays, and nights when staffing can be limited.

Remember: families often notice delays more than anything else in this step. Prompt pickup reassures them their loved one’s gift is being treated as a priority.

2. Location of Brain Removal

Where the brain is removed matters for both logistics and family experience. The fewer transfers, the better.

• Ideal approach: Arrange for brain removal at the mortuary, which can often serve as both the transport provider and the recovery site.

• This reduces the number of transfers, shortens timelines, and simplifies communication with families.

• If removal must occur at another facility, ensure providers are trained in respectful handling and are clear on destination protocols.

• Discuss this step with families in simple, reassuring terms — emphasizing that their loved one will be cared for with dignity wherever the removal occurs.

Example: A mortuary with an established relationship to your program can both pick up and host the recovery, creating the smoothest experience for everyone involved.

3. Documentation and Chain of Custody

Brain donation requires careful record-keeping at every step to maintain scientific validity and protect family trust.

• Document who handled the donor, when, and under what conditions at each stage of transfer.

• Use standardized forms for time of pickup, transport details, and handoff.

• Label remains and tissue carefully to prevent errors — every label should include identifiers that match the program’s system.

• Report and document any unusual events, such as delays, changes in location, or communication breakdowns.

Strong documentation creates transparency. If families ever ask, “What happened during transport?” you will have a clear, reliable record.

4. Family-Centered Approach

Transportation is not only about logistics — it’s also a visible moment for families. How it is handled leaves a lasting impression.

• Choose arrangements that minimize disruption for families. For example, if a mortuary can both handle transport and recovery, this reduces stress.

• Train providers and staff to act with compassion during pickup, especially if family members are present.

• Remind families of the program’s commitment to dignity: “Your loved one will be transported respectfully and cared for at every step.”

• Always maintain professionalism in appearance, communication, and conduct. Families often judge the program based on this stage.

 Staff note: Families may not remember the technical details of transport, but they will always remember whether they felt respected and supported during the process.

Best Practices for Staff: Transportation

Build Strong Partnerships

Reliable transportation depends on trusted relationships. Partnering with experienced removal services and mortuaries builds consistency and minimizes errors.

• Get to know your contracted providers personally — share your program’s mission and values.

• Choose partners who understand both timeliness and family sensitivity.

• Maintain long-term relationships whenever possible; experienced providers anticipate challenges and support staff when new situations arise.

Always Have a Backup Plan

Even the best provider may be unavailable due to emergencies, staffing shortages, or distance. Having backups prevents stressful delays.

• Contract at least one or two secondary services in addition to your primary provider.

• Keep their contact information and procedures readily available for on-call staff.

• Train staff to know when and how to switch to a backup provider quickly.

Communicate Clearly

Transportation involves multiple players — hospitals, mortuaries, families, couriers — so clear communication is essential.

• Confirm details at every step: who is calling whom, when pickup is scheduled, where the body will go.

• Use simple, respectful language with families to explain what is happening.

• Document calls and confirmations to prevent misunderstandings.

Act Quickly and Respectfully

Speed is important, but so is dignity. Families notice both how fast and how respectfully providers act.

• Respond immediately to notifications of death — even if you cannot dispatch transport right away, acknowledge the call.

• Treat every donor with the same professionalism as a living patient.

• Remind providers that their tone, appearance, and behavior reflect on the entire program.

Keep Forms Ready

Smooth transport depends on having the right paperwork at the right time.

• Ensure general release forms (for hospital or medical center release) are accessible at all times.

• Carry or store standardized transport SOPs, chain-of-custody logs, and labeling materials in transport kits.

• Review forms periodically to ensure they match current IRB and institutional requirements.

Why This Matters

When staff follow these best practices, transportation becomes more than logistics. It becomes a moment that honors the donor’s gift, strengthens family trust, and preserves the scientific value of the brain donation.

Key Takeaways

• Transportation is both scientific and human.
  It preserves the integrity of brain tissue for research and demonstrates to families that their loved one is treated with dignity and respect.

• Timeliness is critical.
  Delays reduce tissue quality and increase stress for families. Swift, coordinated pickup is essential.

• Fewer transfers are better.
  Using a mortuary for both transport and brain removal minimizes disruption and provides a smoother experience for families.

• Documentation protects everyone.
  Accurate chain-of-custody records and clear labeling prevent errors, maintain compliance, and reassure families of transparency.

• Families judge programs by this step.
  Transportation is often the most visible part of donation to families. Professionalism, compassion, and efficiency here build lasting trust.

Practical Tips for Staff

• Use dedicated, contracted providers whenever possible. They understand the sensitivity and urgency of brain donation better than ad hoc services.

• Have backups in place. Always keep a secondary provider ready in case the primary company is unavailable.

• Communicate simply and clearly with families. Example: “Your loved one will be transported quickly and respectfully to a facility where donation will take place.”

• Prepare forms in advance. Keep general release forms and SOPs easily accessible to avoid delays during pickup.

• Stay calm and professional. Families may be present during removal — your demeanor can either reassure or add stress.

• Confirm details with all parties. Double-check times, locations, and points of contact to prevent breakdowns in communication.

• Model respect at every step. From the moment of pickup to the handoff at the brain bank, actions should reflect dignity and gratitude for the donor’s gift.

Training Reminder

Transportation is one of the rare steps where science and family experience meet visibly. When handled well, it reassures families, supports staff, and produces high-quality tissue for research. When handled poorly, it can undermine trust and compromise the donation.