The influence of the organ allocation policy on a patient's chances of undergoing heart transplantation and the posttransplantation survival rate
Journal
Transplantation Proceedings
Journal Volume
44
Journal Issue
4
Pages
881-882
Date Issued
2012
Author(s)
Tsao C.-I.
Ko W.-J.
Abstract
The Taiwan Organ Registry and Sharing Center (TORSC) was established by the Department of Health on June 6, 2002. According to the organ allocation policy, the computer-based organ-matching program began on April 1, 2005. In order to encourage organ donations, "donor hospitals" were given the highest priority. On October 1, 2010, the TORSC implemented a new allocation policy allowing highest priority to the most critically ill patients listed as 1A status. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the allocation policy on the likelihood of undergoing a heart transplantation (HTx) as well as the survival after the procedure. Based on the timeline of changes in the organ allocation policy, the patients were divided into three groups: "individual decision," "donor hospital first," and "urgency status first." We observed the waiting time of status 1A patients to decrease and their chance to receive a donor heart increase but their survival rate after HTx to decrease. Further research is needed to define the optimal organ allocation policy. ? 2012 Elsevier Inc.
SDGs
Other Subjects
adult; conference paper; critical illness; female; heart transplantation; human; major clinical study; male; medical decision making; organ donor; policy; postoperative period; priority journal; register; survival rate; Taiwan; Adult; Critical Illness; Female; Heart Failure; Heart Transplantation; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Organizational Policy; Patient Selection; Registries; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Severity of Illness Index; Survival Analysis; Survival Rate; Taiwan; Time Factors; Tissue and Organ Procurement; Tissue Donors; Treatment Outcome; Waiting Lists
Type
conference paper