How to get on the transplant list for a kidney

In order to receive a kidney donation from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the organization responsible for collecting and distributing all deceased-donor organs throughout the United States, you first need to be placed on the national kidney transplant waiting list. Patients cannot add themselves to the list; instead, you need to be placed on the list by a transplant center once doctors from the center determine that you would indeed be a good candidate for a kidney transplant.

Instructions

• 1

  Meet with your doctor to discuss whether he thinks you might benefit from a kidney transplant. If so, she will give you a referral to a transplant center. You need this referral in order to visit the transplant center as a prospective patient.

• 2

  Select and contact a transplant center. You can pick the hospital recommended by your doctor or choose another. To find a center on your own, visit UNOS' website, which includes a searchable database of all transplant centers in the United States. Keep in mind that your insurance company may pay more for transplants performed at specific hospitals. Other factors to consider include the center's kidney transplant survival rates, number of transplants performed each year, and whether the center offers additional services such as support groups or help with finding local housing. The transplant center will likely handle all aspects of your transplant process, so find one that you feel comfortable with. If you have a support group of people willing to help you during and after your transplant, the location of the transplant center may also be a deciding factor.

• 3

  Undergo a thorough medical evaluation at the transplant center to determine whether you would be a good candidate for a kidney transplant and that you are healthy enough to survive the procedure. Transplant is not a good option for everyone. If the transplant center decides that you are a good candidate, they will put your name on the national transplant waiting list.