If I list atmore than one center, how ismy waiting time considered?
As soon as a center accepts you as a transplant candidate, your “waiting
time” begins. Depending on the organ you need, waiting time may be a factor
in matching you for an organ offer. Waiting time is a more important factor
for certain organ types such as kidney and pancreas. It is less of a factor
with heart, liver, and intestinal organs. For these organs more priority is
given for factors such as medical urgency.
If you are a lung transplant candidate age 12 or older, waiting time will not
be used at all in matching you with organ offers. Lung transplant priority is given
for a combination of medical urgency and expected post-transplant survival.
Waiting time is a factor for lung transplant candidates age 11 and younger.
The longest amount of time you have waited at any center is called your
primary waiting time. If you list at multiple centers, your waiting time at each
center will start from the date that center listed you. OPTN policy allows you
to transfer your primary waiting time to another center where you are listed,
or switch time waited at different programs. (For example, if you have waited
9 months at Center A and 6 months at Center B, you could switch your time
to have 6 months at Center A and 9 months at Center B.)
You are not allowed to add up or split your total waiting time among multiple
centers. (Again, assume you have waited 9 months at Center A and 6 months
at Center B. You could not assume you have 15 total months of waiting time
and assign 5 months to Center A and 10 months to Center B.)
Any request to transfer or switch waiting time must be approved by the transplant center(s) involved. Most transplant programs require a written request to swap or transfer waiting time, which will then be considered by the transplant team.
If I do not multiple-list but transfer my care to another hospital, what happens?
If you want to end your listing at one program and transfer to another, your
primary waiting time can be transferred as long as you coordinate with both
programs. The new transplant program will probably ask you to request in
writing to transfer the waiting time. Keep in mind that if you end your listing
at one program before another program formally accepts you, you may risk
losing all previous waiting time.
Sometimes a transplant program may inactivate for a period of time (for
example, to replace a key member of the transplant team who leaves) or
close its operations. If this happens, the OPTN requires that the program
contact you and provide for your continuing care. If the inactivation is
short-term you may choose to remain listed until the program becomes
active again, but you will not receive organ offers during that time. If the
program closes, the staff will work with you to arrange care at another center
without loss of your primary waiting time.
Where can I get additional information?
You should first contact the staff of the transplant program where you are
listed or want to be listed. They will have the most specific information
about how they handle requests for multiple listing and/or waiting time
transfer. They will also make any needed arrangements with UNOS.
UNOS maintains a web site, Transplant Living, which contains extensive
information for transplant candidates and recipients as well as their family
members. The address is www.transplantliving.org. You may also wish to
visit the OPTN web site at www.optn.org.
UNOS also maintains a toll-free phone information line for transplant
candidates, recipients and family members. The number for Patient Services
is 1-888-894-6361.