How to Design a Transplant Program

Hospitals that offer transplants manage the transplant process through specially designed programs. Transplants require acquisition of organs and body parts, as well as the surgery and aftercare for the patients. Successful transplant programs incorporate a patient evaluation program that applies alternative treatments when possible before proceeding with transplant surgery. Not all hospitals offer transplants. Hospitals that wish to establish a transplant program contribute significantly to the community and region they serve. Designing a transplant program requires a clear objective, an accurate assessment of costs, sourcing methods, patient evaluation criteria and an aftercare process.

Instructions

• 1

  Confirm the types of transplant surgeries your hospital wishes to perform. Common transplant types include bone marrow, heart, kidney, liver and lung transplants. Rare transplants are possible for hands and faces as well. Offer the type of transplant that will bring the most benefit to the people in your community.

• 2

  Familiarize yourself with the state regulations for performing transplant surgeries and acquisition of donor organs for transplant.

• 3

  Set eligibility requirements. Establish a protocol for evaluating each patient and what conditions constitute treatment with alternative methods prior to placing a patient on a transplant list. Establish waiting list criteria to determine who receives a transplant first. Some waiting lists provide transplants by seniority, while others perform transplants based on critical need.

• 4

  Establish organ acquisition procedures. Organs can be acquired from living and deceased bodies. Once the organs are removed from the body, they will require preservation and transportation to the hospital, if not acquired in the hospital, where the transplant will take place. Include a system of transportation as part of the organ acquisition process.

• 5

  Establish transplant procedures, staff organization and equipment restocking procedures.

• 6

  Establish a patient services program that includes patient counseling. Patients should be counseled on the expectations of the transplant and the risks associated with transplant. They should speak with surgeons about the transplant procedures and pharmacists about immune suppression therapy to prevent their body from rejecting the transplant.

• 7

  Prepare a schedule of the costs associated with performing transplants. Transplants can cost from $450,000 to $1 million. Hospitals must prepare a detailed list of all costs to ensure adequate Medicare and health insurance reimbursements. Typical costs for transplants include labor costs, organ acquisition costs, UNOS registration fees, preservation, perfusion, surgeon fees and transportation costs. Other costs include housekeeping and data processing.