WE OFTEN HERE ABOUT THE PROBLEMS
WE EXPERIENCE HERE
IN THE SOUTH. LOWER RANKINGS IN
TERMS OF INCOME OR
EDUCATION, FOR INSTANCE. BUT...
IF YOU NEED OF AN ORGAN
TRANSPLANT - YOU MAY GET THAT
LIFE-CHANGING
OPERATION A LOT FASTER
"BECAUSE" YOU LIVE HERE.
24:04 you know you came close
to death and now you're alive
so I go out and do little things
like to mardi gras parade
SUSAN SMITH IS LIVING LIFE TO
THE FULLEST LAST YEAR SHE WAS
DIAGNOSED WITH CIRRHOSIS OF THE
LIVER. THE 58 YEAR OLD WAS SO
ILL, SHE RETIRED FROM TEACHING
AND WAS PLACED ON A LIVER
TRANSPLANT LIST AT THE END OF
OCTOBER. BY DECEMBER SHE
HAD A NEW LIVER AND A SECOND
CHANCE AT LIFE. 24:42
I'm very grateful and thankful
WHILE SMITH RECEIVED A LIVER IN
LESS THAN THREE MONTHS. YOU MAY
BE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT YOUR
WAIT ISN'T
DETERMINED SOLELY BY THE NEED.
IT DEPENDS IN PART ON YOUR
ADDRESS. 19:22 I almost feel
guilty I know a lot of people
wait
SMITH MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN AS
FORTUNATE HAD SHE LIVED ON THE
WEST COAST OR IN THE NORTHEAST
PART OF THE COUNTRY. THE WAIT
TIME THERE IS LONGER SOMETIMES,
MEASURED NOT IN
MONTHS BUT YEARS. THE REASON? A
DISPARITY IN
POPULATION, AND IN DEATH RATES
ARE PART OF THE ANSWER BUT THE
BIGGEST FACTOR IS THIS: THERE
ARE SIMPLY MORE DONORS IN THE
SOUTH.. AND LIVERS - STAY IN
THE REGION WHERE THEY ARE
DONATED.
2:56 I think there are
significant issues with
variations with
disparities in organ donation
rate
"UNITED NETWORK FOR ORGAN
SHARING" OR "UNOS", THE
NON PROFIT THAT MANAGES THE
NATION'S ORGAN TRANSPLANT
SYSTEM, BELIEVES IT'S TIME FOR A
CHANGE.
UNDER THE CURRENT SYSTEM THE
COUNTRY IS DIVIDED INTO 11
REGIONS....
BUT A UNOS COMMITTEE THINKS THE
MAP SHOULD BE RE-
DRAWN REDUCING THE REGIONS
FROM 11 TO 8.
OR EVEN DOWN TO 4. CENTERS ON
THE WEST AND NORTHEAST
COULD SEE A 40 TO 50 PERCENT
INCREASE IN ORGAN VOLUME
WITH A SHIFT LIKE THIS BUT FOR
PATIENTS IN LOUISANA THE
WAIT TIMES WOULD LIKELY
INCREASE. 6:47 I think it's
reasonable to assume although I
don't have any strong data to
support this that yes, wait
times could potentially go up
for Louisiana residents waiting
for a liver transplant
DR. GIRGRAH THINKS CHANGING THE
BOUNDARIES MAY EVEN AFFECT
COST-AND THE "SHELF LIFE" OF A
DONATED LIVER. 4:13
what are the unintended
consequences Is there increase
cost cuz livers have to fly
greater distances the
amount of time liver gets put on
ice will more livers get
discarded
IT IS ESTIMATED .TRANSPORTING
ORGANS LONGER DISTANCES COULD
COST HOSPITALS 30 MILLION
DOLLARS MORE EACH YEAR, IN
TOTAL.
A GROUP OF CONCERNED DOCTORS
INCLUDING MANY
FROM NEW ORLEANS RECENTLY SENT
THIS LETTER TO
THE HEALTH RESOURCE SERVICE
ADMINISTRATION
REQUESTING MORE RESEARCH BE DONE
- BEFORE ANY CHANGES ARE
MADE. BUT THE DOCTORS AGREE WITH
UNOS THAT SOMETHING NEEDS
TO BE DONE TO ADDRESS THE
UNBALANCED SYSTEM.
ON AVERAGE ABOUT 15- HUNDRED
PEOPLE DIE EACH YEAR WHILE
WAITING FOR A LIVER TRANSPLANT.
THERE ARE 15,600
PEOPLE ON THE WAITING LIST RIGHT
NOW. 6:10
WE fully support attempts to
increase organ donation rate,
decrease geographical
disparities we just think they
need to be studied a little
closer
HAD SMITH NOT RECEIVED HER LIVER
IN LESS THAN 3 MONTHS
SHE DOESN'T THINK SHE WOULD HAVE
SURVIVED. SHE'S VERY
GRATEFUL TO LIVE IN THE SOUTH -
BUT FEELS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE
TO WAIT LONGER. 26:15 I didn't
deserve a liver I didn't earn it
or anything like that
21: I would hate to live in an
area where I could not get a
liver or a kidney GIRGRAH THINKS
MAYBE THE COMMITTEE SHOULD THINK
OF WAYS TO ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE
TO DONATE ORGANS.
HE SAYS THE GOAL IS TO "SAVE
MORE LIVES". EVERYWHERE.
A PUBLIC FORUM WAS HELD IN
SEPTEMBER...AND TODAY THE UNO'S
COMMITTEE PRESENTED THE MEETING
NOTES TO THE BOARD.
THERE WILL BE ANOTHER PUBLIC
FORUM IN MAY... IT WILL BE IN
CHICAGO AND THE COMMITTEE HOPES
BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR, THEY
WILL HAVE A PROPOSAL READY.
UP NEXT, WITH THE FREEZING