Last week, no one who works in healthcare could escape the nonstop breaking news from the RFK’s hearing, which raised awareness to several issues currently plaguing our healthcare system. One theme in particular stood out: inefficiencies in government-controlled systems.
RFK Jr. made a strong argument that government-controlled systems suffer from excessive costs and outdated manual processes that lead to patient-care delays. Lack of competition discourages modernization, leaving agencies reliant on antiquated methods amid a fast-changing industry.
During the hearing, Kennedy emphasized that these inefficiencies aren’t just administrative headaches — they’re costing lives. Nowhere is this more evident than in organ-transplant logistics: the way organs get assigned – and move – from donors to patient recipients.
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Currently, over 100,000 people in the U.S. are on the organ-transplant waiting list, but only 45,000 transplants are performed each year due to shortages and painfully complex transport systems. For the past four decades, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) held the monopoly over the system, ensuring consistency but limiting innovation. As a consequence, 20% of donated organs have gone unused while 17 people die every day waiting for a transplant.
Recent reforms have ended UNOS’s monopoly and introduced competition into organ transplant logistics. Emerging players now have an opportunity to drive progress in an industry that has long resisted change.
One of the main reasons any industry becomes stagnant is the lack of competition. Without challengers pushing boundaries, incumbents get soft and complacent (as with many things). Why should healthcare — an industry valued at $4.9 trillion — be any different? We must take cues from the private sector, where constant innovation and efficiency drive success, and apply those principles to healthcare to ensure better patient outcomes. It’s as simple as that.
Logistics is one of the most inefficient areas in healthcare. While private industries have adopted shiny new tracking systems and AI-driven delivery, medical shipments — such as organ transplants and life-saving medications — still rely on outdated coordination methods.
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“In many cases, organs must connect from one flight to another, leaving airline personnel responsible for transfers,” said Barry Friedman, former Executive Director of AdventHealth Transplant Institute, during his testimony before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on UNOS. “While anyone can track their Amazon or FedEx package, there is currently no consistent way of tracking these life-saving organs.”
During the hearings, RFK Jr. emphasized the urgent need to increase transparency and accountability, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing value-based care. Healthcare must adopt technology, just like any other industry. By doing so, we can develop a quicker and more reliable system that guarantees that medical supplies are delivered to those in need when they need them. However, it remains to be seen how and when these changes will be implemented.
The opportunity is clear — now it’s time for policymakers and industry leaders to act.
The private sector has long demonstrated how competition and innovation drive efficiency. It’s time for healthcare to follow suit.
Photo: flickr user Ashley Bayles
Laura Epstein is the Founder and CEO of Pulse Charter Connect, a company on a mission to simplify and improve organ transport logistics. As a licensed pilot with a passion for flying and an aerospace engineer by training, Laura has always been drawn to aviation and logistics systems. She began her career at the Federal Aviation Administration, where she gained expertise in navigating complex transportation challenges.
During her MBA at Chicago Booth, Laura worked on a consulting project that revealed just how outdated and inefficient organ transport logistics could be. This pivotal experience inspired her to create a proprietary automated platform designed to streamline the process. In 2022, she launched Pulse Charter Connect connecting fleets and medical teams to deliver lifesaving organs quickly and efficiently.
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