Working conditions of medical consultants for a brain-dead donor

Abstract

The medical consultant (MC) system is a Japan-specific brain-dead donor evaluation and management system, which was started in 2002 with an expectation of increasing transplantable organ numbers. The average number of transplanted organs per donor was over 5.0 thanks to the MC system. An MC is dispatched to a donation hospital to evaluate and improve donor conditions, resulting in long actual working hours (often during or over midnight). We conducted a survey to disclose working conditions and relevant compensation among transplant physicians. The theme of this report is focused on those of MCs. What is found by analyzing responses is that hard working conditions for and inadequate compensation to MCs. The MC system has been functioning effectively to expand transplantable organs per donor in Japan. If a number of brain-dead donors will continuously increase, the MC system will not be maintained. It is imperative to maintain this system by reforming the duties of MCs but leveraging the expertise of MCs as transplant physicians.