Inova Fairfax Hospital selected as dedicated organ recovery center for the region

Fairfax, VA – Inova Fairfax Hospital is proud to have been selected by Infinite Legacy, the region’s Organ Procurement Organization (OPO), as the dedicated organ donor recovery center for Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland. This designation highlights Inova Fairfax Hospital’s leadership in organ transplantation and positions it as the primary facility for deceased organ donor recovery in the service area.

As part of this initiative, Inova Fairfax Hospital established a new, state-of-the-art donor care unit on its medical campus, dedicating approximately 8,000 square feet of contiguous space to this vital service. The $20 million facility features two operating rooms, three ICU rooms, an organ lab, a dedicated donor family room, and support spaces. It also has direct, specified routes to critical areas, such as the ambulance bay, helipad, morgue, and organ delivery points, while maintaining public access for families.

“Inova Fairfax Hospital’s new donor care unit will be a significant advancement for organ donation and transplantation in our region,” said John Moynihan, MD, FACS, President and Chief, Clinical Enterprise. “By centralizing organ recovery processes and providing a specialized environment, this facility will enhance organ viability, improve patient outcomes and increase the number of lives saved through transplantation while ensuring donors and their families receive the highest quality, safest and most compassionate care for their lifesaving gifts.”

The facility streamlines the entire organ donation process, from donor authorization to organ assessment, allocation, and recovery. Dedicated donor care units like this have been shown to improve the effectiveness of organ evaluation and recovery, preserving donor intent by ensuring organs are viable for transplantation. Additionally, this centralized approach enhances evaluation, diagnostic testing, and surgical procedures, while alleviating the strain on ICU resources at regional donor hospitals.

“Opening the donor care unit not only demonstrates Inova Fairfax Hospital’s commitment to the organ donation process but also shows the strength of their collaboration with Infinite Legacy. Together we’re committed to the highest level of care for organ donors and their families,” said Charlie Alexander, President and Chief Executive Officer, Infinite Legacy. “We have an obligation to maximize the availability of organs for our community, and this project goes a long way towards helping Infinite Legacy do our part to eliminate deaths on the national transplant waiting list.”

The new Donor Care Unit opened on January 28, 2026 and will distributes organs to Inova and other transplant hospitals in accordance with existing allocation standards. The facility also allows for future expansion, with the ability to add operating rooms and ICU beds as demand grows.

This groundbreaking project reaffirms Inova Fairfax Hospital’s commitment to saving lives through organ donation and transplantation. It also strengthens the healthcare infrastructure across Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland, preserving donor intent and ensuring better outcomes for recipients.

About Inova                  

We are Inova, Northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area’s leading nonprofit healthcare provider. With expertise and compassion, we partner with our patients to help them stay healthy. We treat illness, heal injury and look at a patient’s whole health to help them flourish. Through our expansive network of hospitals, primary and specialty care practices, emergency and urgent care centers, and outpatient services, Inova provides care for more than 1 million unique patients every year. Total patient visits exceed 4 million annually, demonstrating our ability to deliver the best clinical care and ensuring a seamless experience for all who rely on us for their healthcare needs.

Consistently ranked and recognized as a national healthcare leader in safety, quality and patient experience, Inova’s world-class care is made possible by the strength and breadth of our network, our 26,000 team members, our technology and our innovation. In 2025, Inova was named the Health System of the Year by Press Ganey, a national leader in healthcare experience, recognizing our excellence in patient care, team member engagement, and commitment to continuous improvement.

Inova is home to Northern Virginia’s only Level 1 Trauma Center and Level 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and provides high-quality healthcare to each person in every community we are privileged to serve – regardless of ability to pay – every day of their life. More information about Inova can be found at Inova.org.

About Infinite Legacy

Infinite Legacy is a nonprofit organ procurement organization (OPO) serving 10 million people in Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington, DC. We facilitate organ, eye and tissue donation and educate people about the critical importance of registering to be a donor.  

We work with 68 hospitals and eight transplant centers to decrease the number of people waiting for a lifesaving transplant. We are passionate about giving life and restoring hope while honoring the legacy and generosity of donors and providing care to the families. Learn more and register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at infinitelegacy.org.