Does competition for transplantable hearts encourage 'gaming' of the waiting list?
Publication/Presentation Date
1-1-2004
Abstract
Transplant centers may "game" the severity of listed patients to increase their patients' likelihood of receiving transplantable organs. Recent lawsuits allege gaming at some centers, and listing policies were modified in 1999 to clarify listing criteria. We tested for gaming and its relationship to heart transplant center competition. We found that increased competition resulted in more patients listed in the most severe illness category (p < .01), consistent with the gaming hypothesis. Gaming was mitigated after the 1999 policy change (p > .05), which suggests that the new rules were effective. Continued monitoring is warranted, given prior gaming and recent accusations.
Volume
23
Issue
2
First Page
191
Last Page
198
ISSN
0278-2715
Published In/Presented At
Scanlon, D. P., Hollenbeak, C. S., Lee, W., Loh, E., & Ubel, P. A. (2004). Does competition for transplantable hearts encourage 'gaming' of the waiting list?. Health affairs (Project Hope), 23(2), 191–198. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.23.2.191
Disciplines
Community Health and Preventive Medicine | Health Services Research | Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
15046143
Department(s)
Department of Community Health and Health Studies
Document Type
Article