Mr. Kim, who is in his mid – 50s this year, lost the function on one of his kidneys about 25 years ago due to vascular stenosis. And in 2014, he was diagnosed with kidney failure at the Catholic University of St. Louis. Mary’s Hospital and he began peritoneal dialysis the following year.
To make matters worse, in 2019, Kim was diagnosed with early kidney cancer and the remaining kidney was removed from his body.
As a result of this condition, Mr. Kim completely loses the function of his kidneys and he cannot urinate. So, Mr. Kim’s body swells in the afternoon because he can not release his bodily by-products like urine. Mr. Kim spends eight hours at home every night doing peritoneal dialysis to remove moisture and toxins from his body.
Yet Mr. Kim had hope and would one day get a kidney transplant to lead a normal life like everyone else.
This is because in 2015 he submitted documents to the hospital for a kidney transplant while receiving the dialysis procedure. For mr. Kim, who lives alone without a family, urgently needs the kidney transplant.
The average waiting time for a kidney transplant is about 5-6 years. Mr. Kim said when asked how long he would have to wait for the transplant, the medical staff would ask him how many years he had been waiting for and since his 3rd or 4th year of dialysis, he said he would receive a kidney donation soon. .
In August last year, Mr. However, Kim, who thought he could get a transplant soon, received shocking news – he was not registered as a kidney transplant candidate.
Mr. Kim said, “When I was admitted to the hospital six years ago, the hospital said it was necessary to register as a transplant patient. Therefore, I filled it out and provided the necessary documentation. but when I went to the hospital recently, I was not registered.“
This was due to a mistake the hospital made. A hospital official explained: ‘The organ transplant center is in charge of registering organ transplant candidates, but it looks like Mr. Kim was not accidentally registered in 2015. “
The official said: ‘The medical staff, who confirmed the patient’s intention to register for a transplant, should have transmitted the information to the organ transplant center, but did not do so. We apologize. “
Kim, who learned too late that he was not registered, registered as a transplant candidate last year. According to the Statistical Yearbook of Organ Transplantation and Human Tissue Donation (2019), 25,465 patients are waiting for a kidney transplant like Mr. Kim, and the average waiting time for transplants is 2196 days. therefore, Mr. Kim waits another 5 to 6 years.
Mr. Kim took the Seoul St. Mary Hospital and the National Institute of Long-Term Tissue Blood Management, which oversees organ transplants, have been asked to adjust its waiting time, but are being denied because they say it is impossible.
He also lodged a complaint with the hospital because he had to wait many more years for a kidney transplant due to a hospital error. However, the hospital shows no signs of willingness to correct their mistake.
In addition, the Medical Dispute Mediation Arbitration Service says there is no way to help with this issue because it is not a medical accident.
The Catholic University of St. Mary’s Hospital in Seoul offered 20 million KRW (~ 18,063.60 USD) in compensation to Mr. Kim, who now has to wait many more years for a kidney transplant.
Mr. Kim said: ‘I just want related agencies to come forward, acknowledge and correct the mistake the hospital made. “