Kidney transplant referral practices in southeastern dialysis units

• Published in: Clinical transplantation 2016-04, Vol.30 (4), p.365-371
• Main Authors: Browne, Teri, Patzer, Rachel E., Gander, Jennifer, Amamoo, M. Ahinee, Krisher, Jenna, Sauls, Leighann, Pastan, Stephen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; dialysis; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hemodialysis Units, Hospital - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Kidney Failure, Chronic - surgery; Kidney Transplantation; Male; Middle Aged; North Carolina; Practice Patterns, Physicians' - standards; Prognosis; provider; referral; Referral and Consultation - statistics & numerical data; Renal Dialysis; South; Surveys and Questionnaires; transplant
• ISSN: 0902-0063; 1399-0012
• DOI: 10.1111/ctr.12693

Background The Southeastern Kidney Transplant Coalition was created in 2010 to improve kidney transplant (KTx) rates in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. To identify dialysis staff‐reported barriers to transplant, the Coalition developed a survey of dialysis providers in the region. Methods All dialysis units in the ESRD Network (n = 586) were sent a survey to be completed by the professional responsible for helping patients get transplants. Results One staff member at almost all (n = 546) of the dialysis units in Network 6 completed the survey (93% response rate). Almost all respondents reported being very comfortable (51.47%) or comfortable (46.89%) discussing the KTx process with patients. Just over half (56%) of facilities reported discussing KTx as a treatment option with patients on an annual basis. Fewer than one quarter of respondents (19%) perceived that more than 50% of their patients were interested in kidney transplant, and most of the staff surveyed (68%) reported that