Equalizing transplant waiting times across regions: OrganJet helps its first patient

Sridhar Tayur at CMU, the founder of OrganJet emails "Thanks for your help and support...our first patient gets her kidney away from where she lives" and points me to this press release--OrganJet customer receives kidney transplant years faster due to smart multiple listing.

"Originally listed in the DC area about 18 months ago, where the median wait time is nearly 5 years -- wait times in nearby Maryland are not that much better -- the 41-year old wife and mother contacted OrganJet for advice and arranged her on-demand jet transportation options (in addition to available commercial choices) just a few months ago. 
"There is significant disparity in wait times across different geographic areas, ranging from over 5 years in areas like NJ, MA, Washington D.C. and CA, while it is half that (or less) in regions like Pittsburgh, PA, Portland, OR and Madison, Wisconsin," said Sridhar Tayur, Founder and CEO of OrganJet and a professor at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business. Every year, over 5000 patients die waiting for a kidney in some parts of the US while organs in other regions may go unused.  While the actual numbers of wasted organs is a subject of debate, it is generally recognized to be in the range of 500-2500 annually. "Our goal is to provide affordable options for patients on transplant lists in high wait time areas so that they can increase their access to organs. This improved matching also helps reduce organ waste," said Tayur."
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See my earlier post on OrganJet.