Each year, the AOPO Annual Meeting provides an opportunity for the organ donation community to come together, exchange ideas, and explore new ways to better serve donor families and transplant recipients. This year's conference was especially meaningful for the DeGarmo team as we shared several exciting advancements and had the opportunity to engage with OPO leaders from across the country. 

More than anything, AOPO reinforced what we've believed all along: the donation community is committed to investing in people. While technology continues to evolve, meaningful conversations with donor families will always depend on skilled, compassionate professionals who are prepared for some of healthcare's most difficult moments.

One of the highlights of the conference was demonstrating DeGarmo's new AI-powered conversation simulations. After months of development, pilot testing with OPO partners, and continuous refinement based on participant feedback, we were excited to provide attendees with a firsthand look at the technology. 

Unlike traditional role-play exercises, the simulations allow Donation Advocates to engage in realistic, interactive conversations with virtual family members that respond naturally to the advocate's communication. Each scenario is designed around authentic clinical situations and common family dynamics, allowing advocates to practice, receive feedback, and continue developing their skills in a safe environment. 

The enthusiasm we experienced at AOPO reinforced what we've heard throughout our pilot program—organizations are looking for scalable ways to provide ongoing development that complements coaching, classroom training, and real-world experience.

While our initial pilot focused on family authorization conversations, one of the recurring themes throughout the conference was the broader potential of conversational simulation technology.

Leaders expressed a strong interest in applications that support hospital development professionals, tissue authorization staff, referral conversations, leadership development, and other situations where communication directly influences outcomes.

These conversations confirmed that the technology has the potential to become much more than a single training tool. It can become an ongoing development platform that helps professionals strengthen critical communication skills throughout their careers.

One of the greatest benefits of AOPO is the opportunity to spend time listening. 

Throughout the conference, we met with longtime clients, pilot participants, prospective partners, and industry leaders who generously shared their experiences, challenges, and ideas for the future. These conversations continue to shape our development priorities and reinforce the importance of building solutions in partnership with the donation community—not simply for it.  The feedback we received was thoughtful, encouraging, and incredibly valuable as we prepare for our commercial launch.

AOPO also provided an opportunity to discuss innovation beyond today's solutions. We were grateful for conversations with leaders who share our vision for expanding the use of evidence-based talent science and conversational AI to improve confidence, consistency, and effectiveness across the donation process. As the field continues to evolve, we believe the combination of behavioral science, communication research, and artificial intelligence will play an increasingly important role in supporting the professionals who make donation possible.

We want to sincerely thank everyone who stopped by to visit with our team, participated in demonstrations, shared ideas, or took time to introduce themselves. Your feedback, encouragement, and willingness to collaborate continue to inspire our work. 

We're especially grateful to the OPO partners who participated in our pilot program and helped shape the simulation experience through their honest feedback and thoughtful recommendations. Their partnership has been instrumental in helping us build a solution tailored to the realities of donation advocacy. As we move toward our national launch, we're excited about what lies ahead. 

We look forward to continuing these conversations, expanding our partnerships, and supporting the incredible professionals whose work ultimately helps save lives.