It helps to be rich if you need an organ:
To find matching donor organs, transplant centers rely on the United Network for Organ Sharing, or UNOS, a nonprofit organization that maintains a nationwide patient waiting list. Organs are then typically dispensed to the sickest patients or to those who have been waiting a long time.UNOS maintains the list, but it’s left up to 256 organ transplant centers across the United States to decide who gets on the list. Each center sets its own criteria, which often include the patient’s ability to pay.
Laura Siminoff, a bioethicist, called this the “wallet biopsy,” during which a person’s financial standing comes under scrutiny.
“Every transplant center can do what they want,” said Siminoff, who directs the bioethics program at Case Western University and is a board member of the Minority Organ Tissue and Transplant Education Program in Cleveland. “Centers have different practices. And if you’re a well-to-do patient, you can shop around to centers. But if you don’t have any money, you will go wherever is closest, and their policies are what you are stuck with.”
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Without margin there is no mission.
Even the most charitable of organizations must always be aware of the financial bottom line. Go broke and go out of business and no charitiable work gets done.
Mother Therersa was a saint, but she was financially damn poor. She provided no organ transplantation services. What allowed her to operate her health care organization on such a small budget was that she provided hospice care only. Mortality was 100% but a comfortable cot, warm blanket and clean water and poridge were offered. She did offer universal access….
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