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A new app developed by the state will allow organ, tissue and eye recovery agencies to sign up donors with a swipe of their driver license through a card reader.
(Associated Press file photo)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohioans now will be able to register as organ donors with just the swipe of a card using a secure app that the state has made available for use on tablets distributed to organ, tissue and eye banks across the state.
One of the recovery agencies, Lifeline of Ohio, plans to try out the app for the first time Saturday at a booth outside the Ohio State University football game.
Using the app, prospective donors can register by running their driver's licenses or state IDs through a special card reader.
The app, Swipe to Donate Life, was developed by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles in partnership with Donate Life Ohio, a coalition of several organ recovery agencies.
The card readers will be available only on specially equipped tablets provided through the Ohio Department of Health.
Ohioans now can register as donors when they renew their licenses at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles location. Many people, though, are not prepared to make their decision when they appear at the BMV.
The app will allow representatives from the organ, tissue and eye recovery agencies to sign up prospective donors when they appear at community and educational events, said Marilyn Pongonis, state team leader for Donate Life Ohio and a spokeswoman for Lifeline of Ohio.
The app uses secure technology similar to what consumers encounter when they swipe a bank card or a credit card to pay for a purchase.
"I think it will make more people feel more confident and secure about their information," Pongonis said.
The app also allows donors to remove themselves from the registry, according to the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
"The Department is proud of its partnership with Donate Life and to have created this innovative app," ODPS Director John Born said in a statement. "The app will expedite the registration process and ensure a secure transfer of the individual's information."