Heart transplant waiting list and staying ready

If you complete the heart transplant evaluation process and we determine you’re eligible for a heart transplant, you enter the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) waiting list. While getting a spot on the waiting list is a significant step in your journey, we understand that it can also be stressful.

Our team at Penn Medicine’s heart transplant program has been helping heart transplant patients for decades, and we’re here with support and guidance at every stage.

While you wait, we monitor your health and spend time getting to know you and your family. Our transplant-specific social workers check on you and connect you with any support services you may need.

How do you get on the heart transplant waiting list?

You’re placed on the heart transplant waiting list when our team submits your medical information to UNOS, the organization that coordinates transplants in the United States.

UNOS allows people to be on waiting lists at multiple centers. However, Penn Medicine doesn’t offer this option due to the comprehensive care we provide while you wait. If you want to pursue multiple listings, we will not list you at our program.

How long is the waitlist for a heart transplant?

The wait for a heart transplant ranges from days to years. How long you wait depends on many factors, including:

• How sick you are: People who are more critically ill receive priority for donor hearts. People who have a stable condition usually wait the longest.
• Antibodies: Your body produces antibodies to fight infections and foreign invaders. If you have a high level of antibodies, you may have a higher likelihood of rejection. This possibility limits the pool of compatible donors and may increase your wait time.
• Blood type: You’ll receive a heart from a donor with the same blood type (A, B, AB, or O). People with blood type AB can receive a heart transplant from a donor with any blood type.
• Body size: The donor heart must be similar in size to your current heart. If you’re smaller or larger than average, your wait time may be slightly longer.
• Number of donors in the area: There’s a limit to the length of time a heart can be outside the body. We can only receive hearts within 290 miles of the donor hospital.

If you’re hospitalized while you wait, you receive around-the-clock heart failure support to ensure your condition is stable when the time for heart transplant surgery comes. If you’re staying at home during your time on their waiting list, we still keep a careful eye on your health. We’ll ask you to:

Stay in touch

Keeping us up to date about your health and contact information helps us be ready for your transplant. Be sure to:

• Attend all follow-up appointments
• Update your contact or insurance information if they change
• Let us know about any changes in your health or medications
• Notify us in advance if you’re leaving the area so we can temporarily update your waiting list status level to “inactive”

Focus on your physical and mental health

A healthy diet and regular exercise before a heart transplant can help speed up recovery after the procedure. It’s also important to find ways to manage the stress of waiting and stay positive. Our pre-transplant coordinators, social workers, support groups, and nutritionists are available to help.

Be ready for surgery

When we call to tell you a heart is available, you need to get to the hospital right away. To ensure you’re ready, we advise you to:

• Carry a cell phone at all times so we can contact you.
• Make arrangements for transportation to the hospital ahead of time.
• Pack your bags in advance, including a 24-hour to 48-hour supply of any medications you take.
• Set up an advanced directive and identify a power of attorney.