Transplantation
Organ Transplant Waiting List
For some patients who are critically ill, the only alternative treatment is organ transplantation.
The name of each patient needing an organ transplant is added to the national computerized waiting list by a physician at a one of the ten transplant centers in the greater New York metropolitan area.
The waiting list is maintained by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) in Richmond, VA.
Each available organ is allocated according to medical urgency, degree of match to the donor, and time waiting.
Recipients are also identified through a comprehensive evaluation of medical compatibility, including:
- Size and blood type
- Medical urgency
- Location
- Time waiting
The transplant surgeon always makes the final decision about whether or not the donor and intended recipient are a good match.
