There was a recent thread about organ transplant priorities (i.e. Prime Minister Harper go to the top of the transplant list faster than a homeless man). What about large donors to hospitals? Would Peter Munk get faster and better cardiac care at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre than say a homeless man?
Hospital Donor Priorities
- Thread starter Rockslinger
- Start date
I believe just such a conflict of interest scandal, of board members jumping the queue was widely reported a few years ago at a downtown hospital. SARS scare I think was involved. As I recall, the hospital's existing policies were judged ineffective and were then tidied up. There will always be a justifiable impulse to accord better service to the donor, or anyone we're obliged to, or looking for favour, and the possible transactions where that impulse pushes fairness aside are infinite, and impossible to define. It's why our Mayor is now in so much trouble.
When it comes down to cases, we really have to trust mostly in the integrity and sense of duty and fairness to all of the people we place in those positions of trust. To answer your specific question with a question: Is Peter Munk asking for better care than the homeless guy, or is the staff choosing to favour him?
When it comes down to cases, we really have to trust mostly in the integrity and sense of duty and fairness to all of the people we place in those positions of trust. To answer your specific question with a question: Is Peter Munk asking for better care than the homeless guy, or is the staff choosing to favour him?
Wasn't picking on Peter, but just as an illustrative example. I'm sure that Peter (just like the late Ted Rogers) would simply head to the U.S. for his medical needs.
I was thinking that maybe Helene Campbell might (or might not) have been moved up the list for her lung transplant because of her high profile and goodwill ambassador for organ donations.
Nor was I, and the fact that Harper might have 'people to do that for him' wouldn't mean he hadn't asked either. My point was that there is an ethical difference between a donor—or anyone—asking to jump the queue and the institution picking them out because they're 'special'.
The real question has nothing to do with either person, or any donor. The real question is how we feel about the fairness of queues. Because this can never be about rules and enforcement. In all issues where your integrity is at issue, it's about who you are and how you choose to behave among others, not how they make you behave.
See: also football foundations, fundraising for.
Unless there is a string of emails and text messages, we will never know the truth. But, have we ever heard of a celebrity die while on the waiting list? Larry Hagman, Mickey Mantle, Papa John, Dick Cheney, Steve Jobs, etc. all got their organs. Or, do we hear of them only because they are "public figures".
There a specific guidelines for every hospital to follow when it comes to Organ donation....(my S/O is the lead at a T/O hospital for the trillium organ donation program..or whatever its called)...
When a donor is identified...every hospital gets the bullitin...and if someone who matches ALL the criteria is matched..then ..that person is the recipient.....so...you may be on the top of the list as far as needing an organ is concerned....but if you DONT match ..you dont get it!!!!1its that simple.....harsh ..but reality
Little johnny may need a heart...but old chuck may be the better match...so chuck gets it.......rejection of the organ by the body due to a miss match not only kills the recipient ..but it also ruins the organ for the right recipient...and all the anti rejection drugs in the world aint gonna change the outcome......
When a donor is identified...every hospital gets the bullitin...and if someone who matches ALL the criteria is matched..then ..that person is the recipient.....so...you may be on the top of the list as far as needing an organ is concerned....but if you DONT match ..you dont get it!!!!1its that simple.....harsh ..but reality
Little johnny may need a heart...but old chuck may be the better match...so chuck gets it.......rejection of the organ by the body due to a miss match not only kills the recipient ..but it also ruins the organ for the right recipient...and all the anti rejection drugs in the world aint gonna change the outcome......
Like every policy, I would imagine there is some wiggle room for applying discretion. It would be bad PR if Bobby Orr died while on the waiting list. (I wondered why Walter Peyton never got a new liver but someone said he wasn't suitable for an organ transplant.)
alot of factors could have been involved....especially with sweetness(Peyton)..how much damage was done to other organs by his liver shutting down....kidneys, lungs, pancreas, also there may not have been a suitable donor in ime to help him.....sucks ...but life ......and death... do sometimes....
Organ donation is a very little talked about issue....but 1 full body donation can help like 12 or more people....the heart. 2 lungs 2 kidneys liver eyes even some blood products....
not saying its fair but does a kid with a failing liver/kidney deserve it more than a father of 3?.....or a billionaire more than a 9-5 'er at minimum wage.....when doctors start playing GOD in as much as who lives and who dies...when it comes to donating organs....we are on a slippery slope!
thats why there are protocols in place.....
I would love to donate my organs upon death...but I cant because of my cancer history...neither can my S/O she contracted malaria ....a strain which attacked her liver ..so she can never donate either...same with giving blood...neither of us can donate to a blood drive.....
due to past issues with tainted blood , the Gov't laid down very strict guideines.....
Organ donation is a very little talked about issue....but 1 full body donation can help like 12 or more people....the heart. 2 lungs 2 kidneys liver eyes even some blood products....
not saying its fair but does a kid with a failing liver/kidney deserve it more than a father of 3?.....or a billionaire more than a 9-5 'er at minimum wage.....when doctors start playing GOD in as much as who lives and who dies...when it comes to donating organs....we are on a slippery slope!
thats why there are protocols in place.....
I would love to donate my organs upon death...but I cant because of my cancer history...neither can my S/O she contracted malaria ....a strain which attacked her liver ..so she can never donate either...same with giving blood...neither of us can donate to a blood drive.....
due to past issues with tainted blood , the Gov't laid down very strict guideines.....
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Hopefully, science will soon be able to grow organs outside the body from DNA or the placenta or something. Therefore, we won't need human donors. (If that becomes a reality, I think the biggest demand will be 16" penises. Just kidding!)
