Transplant Coordinators & Team
Trained, experienced nurses, transplant coordinators serve a crucial role in your transplant experience. Their dedication to your health and well-being lasts for the entire process of your transplant.
With You Every Step of the Way
Transplant coordinators are you for every step of your transplant journey, 24/7.
Heidi Flanagan: The transplant coordinator role begins after a patient's been referred to our program and insurance is cleared. And then I start the process with a lot of education and helping patients start to navigate the process of going down an evaluation pathway. And it can take several paths, but we do a lot of testing and a lot, a lot of education with patient and family.
Lori Franssen: A lot of things are happening to them and it's our job as coordinators to really help them and educate them on what to expect, and that really helps to kind of quell some of their fears.
Martha Perkins: And then on the post-transplant side, we are really trying to get them through the rigorous testing that they need to make sure that their graft is doing well, to make sure they're tolerating all the different medications we have them on, to make sure they're coping with everything they need to manage with all their new medications they're on after transplant, and that they themselves are mentally and physically doing well. And then we help them manage any symptoms they do have after transplant.
Lisa Williams: I'm a registered nurse and what I do is I talk to all people who come forward to be a kidney donor to a loved one or a friend. I ask them some questions over the phone, do an intake form, help them through the process. I essentially become their person of contact, their person to talk to, just their overall person really at UVA.
Martha Perkins: On an emotional level, my patients are my extended family. I have been in transplant for almost seven years, and I've done both pre and post-transplant, to the patients that I have, I've literally had them since the day they walk in the door for the most part. And I really do consider them family.
Heidi Flanagan: UVA's really their transplant family. This is somebody that they're going to follow up for the rest of their live, so it's not "We're just going to come to fix her arm and once the arm's fixed, not see." We see them for the duration.
Lori Franssen: They really look to us as their guides and as someone that they can trust throughout this process.
Lisa Williams: I love being able to tell somebody, "You've been approved to be a donor," especially when it comes to their loved ones. They get very emotional and very excited about that.
Martha Perkins: I'm all about giving people a second chance in live and when I see somebody that was on death's door three weeks ago, six months ago, two years ago, and watch them coming in or just hearing about how great they're doing and they got to hold their granddaughter or grandson or got to walk their daughter down the aisle, it's just what I live for. It just makes my day, so it's why we do what we do.`
What Does a Transplant Coordinator Do?
Transplant coordinators serve as the main point of contact for every patient in the transplant program. You have a coordinator for each phase of the transplant experience: one before transplant, one with you in the hospital during your transplant, and one who supports you afterwards on an ongoing basis.
These experienced nurses help you navigate the transplant experience from the beginning, helping you:
- Make appointments
- Learn about your condition
- Gather and complete paperwork
- Deal with finances
- Prepare for tests
- Monitor your medications
- Understand test results
Personal Access and Attention
Our transplant coordinators are available 24/7.
Whatever your concerns, questions or needs, you can count on your coordinator to help you find the answers. They are there for you, every step of the way.
For Living Donors, Too
If someone is considering being a donor, they’ll get a different transplant coordinator from the recipient.
This prevents a conflict of interest, giving the donor an advocate in the process. The aim is to ensure that the organ donor is making a decision without pressure from others.
Your Transplant Team
The transplant experience changes and affects your whole life. That's why the support you receive as a transplant patient at UVA covers the whole spectrum of your needs. Your transplant team includes:
- Transplant coordinators
- Social workers
- Financial counselors
- Doctors and nurse practitioners
- Surgeons
- Nutritionists
- Neuropsychologists
- Pharmacy specialists
Together, this compassionate, specialized team works with you to help you have the best outcome possible.