Right now, more people than ever are hoping for a kidney transplant — but the system is struggling to keep up. According to Becker’s Clinical Leadership, even a small increase in the number of people needing a kidney could make wait times much longer, possibly adding almost two extra years to the wait.
For patients, this means the path to receiving a kidney transplant isn’t just long — it’s uncertain. Many people who are placed on the waitlist become too sick for transplant or sadly pass away before getting the chance. In fact, fewer than half of the people who were added to the waitlist 10 years ago ever received a kidney.
Today, fewer than 50,000 kidney transplants happen each year in the U.S., and that’s not enough to meet the growing need. Unless changes are made — like making it easier for more people to donate kidneys, improving how organs are matched and delivered, and making sure the system is fair for everyone — patients may continue facing longer and more difficult waits.
Source: Becker’s Hospital Review
