About Living Donation

About Living Donation

Steps to the Transplant Process

While not a cure, kidney transplantation is a therapy that could save or enhance a person’s life after end-stage kidney failure. The kidney transplant process has multiple steps:

Step 1: Patient Interest

A patient with chronic kidney disease or end stage renal disease expresses interest in a kidney transplant.

Step 2: Referral

Transplant centers require a referral for transplant evaluation. Referrals typically come from dialysis facilities and nephrology clinics. Some transplant centers also accept self-referrals. Patients with late stage chronic kidney disease who are not on dialysis can also be referred for transplant evaluation. Patient information and required documentation, such as copies of insurance cards or a recent History & Physical, may vary by transplant center.

Step 3: Evaluation Start

Patients must be evaluated at a transplant center to continue with the transplant process. After receiving a referral for transplant evaluation, transplant center staff will contact the patient to schedule his/her transplant evaluation. The transplant team’s evaluation often includes a medical, psychiatric, psychosocial and financial assessment. The evaluation process may vary by transplant center. At the time of the evaluation, the patient is told about living donation as an option.

Insurance Coverage: In most cases, the patient is covered for the majority of costs. Insurance benefit plans can vary. Depending on coverage, private insurance may or may not pay the total cost of transplantation. Medicare and State Medicaid pay for kidney transplants. For those patients in need of financial assistance, the transplant program social worker or financial coordinator can assist the patient and his or her family with resource information. Requirements may vary by state and transplant center.

Step 4: Evaluation End

Patients must complete the transplant evaluation and all required medical testing to be eligible for the national transplant waiting list. Requirements for evaluation completion may vary by transplant center.

Step 5: Waitlisting

Once the evaluation is complete and the patient is determined to be a transplant candidate, the transplant staff will place the patient on the national transplant waitlist. Each transplant candidate is unique. Depending on how sick the candidate is and the availability of a suitable organ, she/he may wait a few days or several years for an organ transplant.

Step 6:  Kidney Transplant

Deceased Donor Matching: When a donor kidney matches a candidate on the waitlist, the transplant surgeon and the patient’s local physician talk to make sure the patient is in good health to receive the transplant. If so, the donor kidney is accepted and the patient is called to the hospital to prepare for surgery.

Living Donor Transplant: Once an eligible living donor has been identified, the transplant center will schedule a surgery date for both recipient and donor.

Recovery: After the transplant procedure, depending on the type of transplant, the transplant recipient will usually stay in the hospital about 3-5 days. The donor will typically stay in the hospital for about 2 to 3 days.

Step 7: Follow-up

Therapy: Patients must take anti-rejection drugs every day. This therapy begins immediately prior to transplant and continues for the rest of their lives to prevent the body from rejecting or destroying the new organ. Annual cost of these drugs range from $15,000-$20,000, but out of pocket costs vary depending on patient’s insurance coverage. For the donor, medication is prescribed after the surgery, and donors vary on their need to take the medication. The need is also short-term, and donors typically need no further medication after the first few days.

Additional Care: Follow-up visits by the recipient with the transplant program are required. During the first month the patient must have blood work done and be seen by the transplant team 2–3 times per week. Eventually, return visits and lab testing will decrease to 1 time per month, then once a quarter, once every six months and finally, once a year. Donors do not typically need additional care beyond the first month.

Steps to the Transplant Process

While not a cure, kidney transplantation is a therapy that could save or enhance a person’s life after end-stage kidney failure. The kidney transplant process has multiple steps:

Step 1: Patient Interest

A patient with chronic kidney disease or end stage renal disease expresses interest in a kidney transplant.

Step 2: Referral

Transplant centers require a referral for transplant evaluation. Referrals typically come from dialysis facilities and nephrology clinics. Some transplant centers also accept self-referrals. Patients with late stage chronic kidney disease who are not on dialysis can also be referred for transplant evaluation. Patient information and required documentation, such as copies of insurance cards or a recent History & Physical, may vary by transplant center.

Step 3: Evaluation Start

Patients must be evaluated at a transplant center to continue with the transplant process. After receiving a referral for transplant evaluation, transplant center staff will contact the patient to schedule his/her transplant evaluation. The transplant team’s evaluation often includes a medical, psychiatric, psychosocial and financial assessment. The evaluation process may vary by transplant center. At the time of the evaluation, the patient is told about living donation as an option.

Insurance Coverage: In most cases, the patient is covered for the majority of costs. Insurance benefit plans can vary. Depending on coverage, private insurance may or may not pay the total cost of transplantation. Medicare and State Medicaid pay for kidney transplants. For those patients in need of financial assistance, the transplant program social worker or financial coordinator can assist the patient and his or her family with resource information. Requirements may vary by state and transplant center.

Step 4: Evaluation End

Patients must complete the transplant evaluation and all required medical testing to be eligible for the national transplant waiting list. Requirements for evaluation completion may vary by transplant center.

Step 5: Waitlisting

Once the evaluation is complete and the patient is determined to be a transplant candidate, the transplant staff will place the patient on the national transplant waitlist. Each transplant candidate is unique. Depending on how sick the candidate is and the availability of a suitable organ, she/he may wait a few days or several years for an organ transplant.

Step 6: Transplant

Deceased Donor Matching: When a donor kidney matches a candidate on the waitlist, the transplant surgeon and the patient’s local physician talk to make sure the patient is in good health to receive the transplant. If so, the donor kidney is accepted and the patient is called to the hospital to prepare for surgery.

Living Donor Transplant: Once an eligible living donor has been identified, the transplant center will schedule a surgery date for both the recipient and the living donor.

Recovery: After the transplant procedure, depending on the type of transplant, the transplant recipient will usually stay in the hospital for about 3 to 5 days. The donor will typically stay in the hospital for about 2 to 3 days.

Step 7: Follow-up

Therapy: Patients must take anti-rejection drugs every day. This therapy begins immediately prior to transplant and continues for the rest of their lives to prevent the body from rejecting or destroying the new organ. Annual cost of these drugs range from $15,000-$20,000, but out of pocket costs vary depending on patient’s insurance coverage. For the donor, medication is prescribed after the surgery, and donors vary on their need to take the medication. The need is also short-term, and donors typically need no further medication after the first few days.

Additional Care: Follow-up visits by the recipient with the transplant program are required. During the first month the patient must have blood work done and be seen by the transplant team 2–3 times per week. Eventually, return visits and lab testing will decrease to 1 time per month, then once a quarter, once every six months and finally, once a year. Donors do not typically need additional care beyond the first month.