Undocumented immigrants and advanced heart failure therapies
Matthew Kogan,
Sarah L. Kimball,
Katherine Purrington,
Jennifer Cedor,
Omar K. Siddiqi, MD
Affiliations
Matthew Kogan
Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center
Sarah L. Kimball
Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center; Immigrant and Refugee Health Center, Boston Medical Center
Katherine Purrington
Health Law Advocates, Public Programs Advocacy and Immigrant Health Initiative
Jennifer Cedor
Health Law Advocates, Public Programs Advocacy and Immigrant Health Initiative
Omar K. Siddiqi, MD
Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center; Reprint requests: Omar K. Siddiqi, 72 E. Concord Street, Collamore 8, Boston, MA 02118.
This study highlights the challenges undocumented immigrants face in accessing advanced heart failure therapies, despite contributing to the organ donor pool. Some key barriers are the lack of provider awareness, social support issues, and timing constraints. The survey conducted among cardiologists at Massachusetts teaching hospitals revealed that while most providers (82.5%) refer patients with undocumented status for advanced therapies, a significant percentage (87.5%) that still perceive immigration status as a barrier to transplantation. Addressing these misconceptions through legal partnerships and enhancing provider education is crucial for improving access to life-saving treatments for undocumented patients.
