Monetary Charges Attached to Decisions Surrounding Liver Transplant

An 18-year-old male who had been diagnosed at age 7 with a rare, progressive liver disease was referred to the transplant center and received a transplant, even though he did not meet the center’s criteria for a patient with hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS). Complications required relisting the patient urgently, but he eventually fully recovered; total hospital charges for his treatment exceeded $5 million.

• What is the clinician’s obligation to balance the provision of actuarially fair health care to society against the healing of a single patient?
• What are the effects of malleable transplant criteria on trust in the patient selection process?

Apply Theory (Specific Professional Healthcare Competencies + Clinical Medical Ethical Principles) to Practice in order to provide Optimal Patient-Centered Care (OPCC)