Is Organ Donation Affecting Patient Care at the Hospital?

Every individual has a choice to become an organ donor, but several myths have been circulating around the idea that hospitals might withhold proper medical care to facilitate organ donation.

Myth: Hospitals won't do their best to save the life of a patient who is an organ donor.

No, this is not true. Medical professionals are ethically and legally required to prioritize saving a patient's life above all else, regardless of their organ donor status. The popular misconception likely stems from a misunderstanding of how organ donation functions.

Medical Team's Priority: Upon admission, the medical team focuses solely on providing the best possible care to save the patient's life. Only after exhausting all efforts to save the patient and when the patient is declared brain dead or deceased, can organ donation be considered. Distinct Teams for Donations: A separate team of professionals who are not involved in the patient's care handles the organ donation process.

In summary, being an organ donor does not influence the quality of medical care received. Medical personnel must adhere to the highest ethical and legal standards.

Myth: Hospitals might encourage hospital staff, such as nurses and technicians, to work less hard if the patient is a potential organ donor.

This is a baseless claim. Hospital staff treat every patient the same, regardless of their organ donor status. There is no benefit for hospital staff to work less hard. Additionally, there have been legal repercussions for hospitals that have been involved in practices that undermine patient care.

Myth: Hospitals adjust patient care based on organ donor status.

This is incorrect. The medical team follows the same protocol for all patients. Only when the patient is declared brain dead, a separate team might be involved with the Organ Recovery Association (ORA) to coordinate the donation process.

Checking ‘I wish to be an organ donor’ on a driver’s license does not automatically make you a donor candidate. The process is more complex and involves several criteria, including brain death.

Signing Up as an Organ Donor:

Become a Potential Donor: You must first become a potential organ donor to be considered. Notification: If the potential donor is declared brain dead, a representative from the ORA will communicate with the family. No Adjustments: The medical team continues to provide care as usual, without any adjustment for potential organ donation status.

It is essential to understand that becoming an organ donor does not change the standard of care provided by medical professionals. Ethical and legal standards remain paramount, and hospitals are obliged to prioritize the patient's life at all times.