“It’s my life and it’s now or never”: Transplant recipients empowered from a service-dominant logic perspective

Patient well-being after an organ transplant is a major outcome determinant and survival of
the graft is crucial. Before surgery, patients are already informed about how they can
influence their prognosis, for example by adhering to treatment advice and remaining
active. Overall, effective selfmanagement of health-related issues is a major factor in
successful long-term graft survival. As such, organ transplant recipients can be considered
as co-producers of their own health status. However, although keeping the graft in good
condition is an important factor in the patient’s well-being, it is not enough. To have a
meaningful life after a solid organ transplant, patients can use their improved health status
to once again enjoy time with family and friends, to travel and to return to work -in short to
get back on track. Our assertion in this article is twofold. First, healthcare providers should
look beyond medical support in enhancing long-term well-being. Second, organ recipients
should see themselves as creators of their own well-being. To justify our argument, we use
the theoretical perspective of service-dominant logic that states that patients are the true
creators of real value-in-use. Or as Bon Jovi sings, “It’s my life and it’s now or never.”