Improving Transplant Coordination
Quality Improvement Activity (QIA)

Network Project Lead: Virna de la Cruz, BSN, RN
Network Project Co-lead: Annabelle Perez, BSN, RN

Project Description and Goals

The Network shall support all the goals and initiatives detailed in the Executive Order on Advancing American Kidney Health especially the goal to improve kidney health by having 80% of new ESRD patients in 2025 either receiving dialysis at home or receiving a transplant.

The goals of this project are:

• Increase the number of patients added to a kidney transplant waiting list 
• Increase the number of patients receiving a kidney transplant

ESRD NCC Transplant Resources

• ESRD NCC: A Change Package To Increase Kidney Transplantation - Key Change Ideas for Dialysis Facilities to Drive Local Action
• Kidney Transplant Hub - A centralized and trusted website for information on each step of the kidney transplant process that can benefit both patients and dialysis staff. Topics include: 
  • Choosing Transplant
  • Getting on a Waitlist
  • Staying Healthy on the Waitlist
  • Receiving a Kidney Sooner, Connecting with the Community
  • Enjoying Life after Transplant
• Understanding High Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) and Increased Risk Kidneys (Video) - A short,  easy-to-understand video focused on engaging patients around the possibilities of receiving high KDPI or increased risk kidneys. This education is relevant for dialysis facility staff as well to reinforce current knowledge. 
• Transplant Trailblazers Program
• ESRD NCC Patient Education

Additional Resources and Tools

Patient-Focused

Printable Materials

• Getting to Know Your Transplant Team
• Patient Transplant Survey - (English / Spanish)
• My Transplant Waitlisting Plan - (English / Spanish)
• Road to Kidney Transplant - (English / Spanish) 
• Why Transplant Is a Good Idea for Me! - (English / Spanish) 
• Your Guide to the Transplant Process
• UNOS Kidney Transplant Evaluation and Listing
• UNOS Kidney Allocation - (English / Spanish)
• NKF Multiple Listing for Kidney Transplant
• UNOS Multiple Listing and Waiting Time Transfer - (English / Spanish)
• Finding a Living Donor - (English / Spanish)
• Transplant Patient Education

Video/Online

• Explore Transplant – My Transplant Coach
• UNOS Transplant Living
• NKF Kidney Transplant
• NKF Cares - Spanish
• Fixing Paco Public Service Announcement (PSA) Campaign (available in Spanish)
• Learn About Donation:  Get the Facts
• Kidney Transplant - (English / Spanish)
• Live Donor Toolkits
• *NEW* UNOS Patient Webinar for Changes to Kidney and Pancreas and Allocation

Staff-Focused

• Talk about Transplant for Patient Care Staff  
• Understanding the Donation Process
• Ascent to Transplant
• Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) Guide for Clinicians
• Educational Guidance on Patient Referral to Kidney Transplantation
• iChoose Kidney
• CMS ESRD NCC Transplant QIA Learning and Action Network (LAN) - One (1) continuing education credit opportunity is available on each call. Register in the Learning Management Center (LMC) to access the courses. 

Facility-Focused

• Transplant Center Fax Communication
• Transplant Coordination Facility Self-Assessment Tool 
• Practical Guidance for Transplant Designee 
• Transplant Multilisting Referral Decision Aid for Transplant Designee 
• Transplant Designee Role and Responsibilities - (English / Spanish) 
• *NEW* Transplant Designee Information Hub - Serves as the repository of transplant related education and updates
• Transplant Peer Mentor Program Kit
• Forum of ESRD 2019 Kidney Transplant Toolkit - A reference tool that gives information about the transplant referral process and guidance to help patients prepare for receiving a kidney transplant.
• Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) Toolkit
• IHI PDSA Toolkit/Worksheet 
• UNOS Frequently Asked Questions about the New to the Kidney and Pancreas Allocation Policies - effective March 15, 2021
• 5-Diamond Transplant Module

Living donation

• Big Ask, Big Give:  First Steps to Transplant Webinar (Recording)
• Donor Care Network - Committed to Improving the Process of Living Kidney Donation
• Donate Life America
• Explore Living Donation
• Finding a Living Donor - UNOS
• Finding a Living Donor - National Kidney Foundation
• How to Make the Ask
• Kidney Donation Myths
• Living Donation
• National Kidney Registry - Facilitating Living Donor Transplant
• National Living Donor Assistance Center

Peer-to-Peer

• New Jersey Sharing Network
  • Transplant Peer Mentorship Flyer
  • Transplant Peer Connection Request Form
  • Transplant Peer Connection Evaluation Form
• NKF Peers
• *NEW* Patient Voices: My Kidney Transplant Experience
  • Patient Testimonial Videos
  • Handout (8x10 size)
  • Poster (11x17 size)
  • Postcard (5x7 size)
  • Tips for Implementing Kidney Transplant Patient Voice Resources

Transplant Centers Directory: New Jersey, Neighboring States and Puerto Rico

Transplant Center	Contact Number	Organ Procurement Organization (OPO)
Hackensack Meridian Health	551-996-2608	NJ Sharing Network
Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes	856-757-3840	NJ Sharing Network
RWJ Barnabas Health Livingston	973-322-5938	NJ Sharing Network
RWJ Barnabas Health New Brunswick	732-253-3699	NJ Sharing Network
Montefiore	877-CURE-KDNY (877-287-3536)	LiveOnNY
Mount Sinai	212-659-8086	LiveOnNY
NY-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell	212-746-3099	LiveOnNY
NY-Presbyterian/Columbia	212-305-6469	LiveOnNY
NYU Langone	212-263-8134	LiveOnNY
Albert Einstein	800-346-7834	Gift of Life (PA)
Christiana Care Health Services	302-623-3866	Gift of Life (DE)
Lehigh Valley	888-402-LVHN (5846)	Gift of Life (PA)
Temple University	800-TEMPLE-MED (800-836-7536)	Gift of Life (PA)
Thomas Jefferson	800-533-3669	Gift of Life (PA)
University of Pennsylvania	215-662-6200	Gift of Life (PA)
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center	412-647-5800	Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE)
Johns Hopkins Hospital	410-614-5700	Living Legacy (MD)
University of Maryland	410-328-5408	Living Legacy (MD)
Auxilio Mutuo El Gran Hospital de Puerto Rico	787-771-7575	Lifelink of Puerto Rico
Mayo Clinic Florida	904-956-3309	LifeQuest Organ Recovery Services
Methodist Dallas Medical Center	800-284-2185 or 214-947-1800	Southwest Transplant Alliance (TX)

Additional Resources

• American Society of Transplantation (AST) COVID-19 Resource
• Organ Procurement Organizations 
• Transplant Multiple Listing (NKF)
• Transplant Multiple Listing (UNOS)
• Federal and NJ State Regulations for ESRD Facilities That Pertain to Transplant
• NJ Sharing Network
• Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN)
• United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)
• National Kidney Foundation

Articles       

• Opportunities for Shared Decision Making in Kidney Transplantation
• Impact of Navigators on Completion of Steps in the Kidney Transplant Process: A Randomized, Controlled Trial
• Living Donor Kidney Transplantation: Improving Education Outside of Transplant Centers about Life Donor Transplantation - Recommendations from a Consensus Conference