Project Guidelines

Transplant is one of several renal replacement therapy option that offers the opportunity for better clinical outcomes with reduced mortality and morbidity and improvement of life. The Network of New England supports the national focus to improve transplant coordination. The goal is to effect a change in the national kidney transplant wait list over the next five years to achieve 30% inclusion of all patients in the United States with ESRD. The Network staff members will work with 30% (60) of the dialysis facilities in its service area to effect this change. By collaborating with transplant centers and dialysis facilities the Network will establish interventions, which will aid in overcoming barriers and improve communication. Graduation requires a 40% transplant wait list rate.

Criteria: Include at least 30% of facilities in Network service area (~60 facilities).

Baseline: Period of six months (October 2016 - June 2017) Re-measure:  (January 2018 - September 2018)

Goals: Facilities selected for this project will demonstrate a 10% increase in the number of patient on the transplant waitlist.

The Network staff will use the 7 Step process described by Sullivan, et al (2012) to monitor the patient progression through this process of getting on a transplant waitlist. These steps track the patients through their navigation from initial interest in transplant to final placement on the waitlist.

The 7 Steps are as followed:

  • Suitability for referral to transplant center
  • Interest in transplantation
  • Referral call to transplant center
  • First visit to transplant center
  • Transplant center work up
  • Successful transplant candidate
  • On waiting or evaluate living donor

Tools and Resources

Facilities Involved in Transplant QIA

Improve Transplant Coordination QIA Kick Off Webinar conducted on February 12, 2018: Recording  and Slides

Provide: Input Key Facility Staff Contact Information into the - Improve Transplant Waitlist QIA collection tool by Friday, February 2, 2018. One Contact form per Facility.

Watch: View the  "Five Whys Jefferson Memorial Example" Video (<2 minutes)

COMPLETE:

Resources:

Network's Newsletter:  

For more information:

Sarah Keehner, RN, BSN, CNN
Quality Improvement Director
203-285-1214
skeehner@nw1.esrd.net

Nadine Caruthers, LPN
Quality Improvement Coordinator
203-285-1224
ncaruthers@nw1.esrd.net