Speaking of transparency (see below), the Los Angeles Times reported in June that 20 percent of U.S. transplant centers were found to be substandard, in part because of a failure to perform enough operations to ensure competency.
Here is the link to that story.
In New England, only BIDMC and MGH perform over 100 kidney, liver, and pancreas transplants per year, based on data collected by the United Network for Organ Sharing,
UNOS, the national organization that monitors such matters. Several other hospitals perform only two or three dozen.
If you needed a liver transplant, would you be willing to travel an hour or two to go to a transplant center that was more experienced? If insurance companies care about clinical results, shouldn't they be directing patients to those centers with more experience and better results?
In New England, only BIDMC and MGH perform over 100 kidney, liver, and pancreas transplants per year, based on data collected by the United Network for Organ Sharing, UNOS, the national organization that monitors such matters. Several other hospitals perform only two or three dozen.
If you needed a liver transplant, would you be willing to travel an hour or two to go to a transplant center that was more experienced? If insurance companies care about clinical results, shouldn't they be directing patients to those centers with more experience and better results?