Will Being an Organ or Tissue Donor Impact the Care Received at a Hospital?

No, choosing to be an organ or tissue donor will not impact the care you or a loved one receives at a hospital. It is a common myth that a patient’s medical care is influenced by whether they are a registered donor. This concern often prevents individuals from registering for organ and tissue donation. However, the reality is that healthcare professionals are ethically and legally responsible for providing the highest quality care to all patients they serve, regardless of the patient’s donor status. They adhere to strict ethical guidelines and codes of conduct, which mandate them to act in the patient’s best interest. 

Physicians who provide care in a hospital or emergency setting differ from physicians or surgeons who perform organ recovery and transplant surgeries. Additionally, whether a patient’s organs and tissues are suitable for donation is determined after death. The medical team responsible for the patient’s care while they are alive doesn’t know whether the patient’s tissues and organs will even be appropriate for donation after death. This eliminates any potential bias or influence over the care they provide. Additionally, less than 1 percent of patients who die in a hospital meet the criteria to be organ donors. So, the probability of finding eligible or ideal donors remains rare. 

Sources

“Organ Donation and Transplantation”. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/11750-organ-donation-and-transplantation 

“Get the Facts: Does saying “yes” to becoming an organ donor affect the medical care I receive?” Donor Alliance. https://www.donoralliance.org/newsroom/donation-essentials/get-facts-saying-yes-becoming-organ-donor-affect-medical-care-receive/ 

“Why doctors WILL NOT let you die if you’re a registered organ donor”. Donate Life – Donor Network of Arizona. https://www.dnaz.org/why-doctors-will-not-let-you-die-if-youre-a-registered-organ-donor/