Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Support Team
The road to a kidney or pancreas transplant may be long and complex. You will need support along the way, and you will have many questions. In addition to the highly trained physicians on staff, we have a multidisciplinary team of experts to support you on your transplant journey.
Our experts include transplant coordinators, social workers, dieticians, pharmacists, and financial counselors. We will educate you about your procedures, monitor your emotional health, advise you about nutrition and medication, and help you navigate the financial aspects of your care.
The entire care team works together to ensure that transplant recipients and living kidney donors, as well as their caregivers and families, have the resources to face their future with confidence.
Transplant Coordinators
Our transplant coordinators are registered nurses (RNs) who have specialty training in transplantation. They are key members of the transplant team and responsible for coordinating the patient’s care through every aspect of the transplantation process. Throughout the journey, the nurse coordinators will:
- Provide individualized education
- Identify potential transplant recipients
- Monitor donated organs for rejection and communicates with the medical doctors to expedite treatment if needed
- Provide support to patients and their families
Social Worker
Our transplant social worker has specialty training in the psychological and social implications of transplantation as well as the effects of chronic illness on patients and their families. The social worker is responsible for referrals to community agencies, coordinates patient care with other team members, and assists with support services.
Dietician
The registered dietician will work with you, your family, and the multidisciplinary care team throughout all phases of the transplant process to ensure your optimal nutritional status to promote healing and overall good health.
Transplant Pharmacists
Prior to transplant surgery, the pharmacist will provide medication education
to you and your caregiver, including types of medications you’ll
be taking, the possible side effects, and potential interactions the medications
may have with others you may be prescribed. The pharmacist will consult
on an as-needed basis with the transplant physician or coordinator.
After the transplantation process, the pharmacist will oversee your medication regimen to optimize therapy. The pharmacist will monitor for the effectiveness of all medication orders, including the appropriateness of therapy and dosing by participating in multidisciplinary rounds with the transplant team.
The pharmacist will also provide education at the time of discharge to you and your caregiver about your medication, including drug dosing, administration, and potential adverse effects of all medications provided.
Financial Counselors
The financial coordinator is responsible for educating and providing information related to insurance coverage and reimbursement for transplantation. The coordinator will:
- Work closely with you to help you understand the costs that may be associated with the transplant and with the medications you will require after transplant.
- Work with the social worker to understand your financial needs and help maximize benefits.
Learn more about the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program