Re: Organ Donations
LOL - edited twice, now that my blood pressure is down.
As much as I'd like to be part of a grand conspiracy to steal organs from salvagable patients, I'm not that smart. The studies you're quoting (I think) refer to attempts to transplant as quickly as possible to recipients - as far as I know, with the POSSIBLE exception of a case in California where a transplant surgeon has been questioned about pushing meds at a donor to hasten death (and not cause it - as I understand it no one is questioning that the donor was terminal) As you're already played the "I can say whatever I want" card, I assume you don't want to reference the studies for us. I'd like to see them.
Here's what happens when a potential donor shows up. Usually a trauma, often self-inflicted. Young and otherwise healthy. They are treated EXACTLY like any other patient - because we have no idea as to their donor status. I'm way too busy intubating, putting lines in, getting studies done. Registration comes back and gets the patients information either from the patient or family and generates a chart. Nowhere on the chart is there any reference of donor status. To be honest, in the 20 years I've been doing trauma, I've never once been aware of someones status.
Additionally, standard of practice is that the caring MD has no input vis-a-vis organ donation. There is a transplant coordinator who speaks with the family and sorts out their wishes. I'm in favor of as many donors as possible, but even if I weren't, my feelings don't come into play - all this is state mandated.
Lastly, not that you care, I'm DEEPLY insulted by the inference that as an MD, I'm in any way involved with a system that somehow would act against a patients interests. I (and my partners) took an oath to serve our patients. As quaint as it sounds, I've never known a doc (and I do admit there are likely some out there) to act in a manner like you're suggesting.
I hope no one in my family ever needs an organ. I'd be happy to never have to take care of a potential donor again, because the majority of them come from tragic cases. But for someone on dialysis, or a young person with a sick heart due to a viral myocarditis, it's a chance for a near normal life - to see their kids grow up, spend more time with the people they love. I'm very much in favor of that.
MM MD
|