KIDNEY TRANSPLANT 
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITY (QIA)

Network Project Lead: Virna de la Cruz, BSN, RN
Network Project Co-lead: Annabelle Perez, BSN, RN

Project Description and Goals

Kidney transplantation is often the preferred treatment for those with end-stage renal disease.[1]  Patients with end-stage renal disease have better long-term survival if they are placed on the waiting list and eventually undergo kidney transplantation than those who stay on dialysis.[2]

The Network shall support the Advancing American Kidney Health Initiative and drive efforts to achieve goals set forth by CMS.

ESRD NCC Transplant Resources

• ESRD NCC: A Change Package To Increase Kidney Transplantation

• Quick Start Guide to Using the Transplant Change Package

• Kidney Transplant Hub

• Understanding High Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) and Increased Risk Kidneys (Video)

• ESRD NCC Patient Education (Available in English and Spanish) 

• Preparing for a Kidney Transplant

• Planning for a Kidney Transplant

• Understanding the Journey from Referral to Transplant Waitlisting

• Better Than Dialysis Kidneys

• Understanding and Agreeing to Better Than Dialysis Kidneys

Additional Linked Resources and Tools

PATIENT-FOCUSED

Printable Material

• 2023 Medicare Immunosuppressant Coverage: What Patients Need to Know

  • Recording

  • Event Flyer 

• UNOS Kidney Transplant Evaluation and Listing (English / Spanish)

• UNOS Kidney Allocation - (English / Spanish)

• Finding a Living Donor - (English / Spanish)

Video/Online

• Explore Transplant – My Transplant Coach

• UNOS Transplant Living

• NKF Kidney Transplant

• NKF Cares - Spanish

• About Fixing Paco by MNITF

• Life Options Kidney Transplant - (English / Spanish)

FACILITY/STAFF-FOCUSED

• Ascent to Transplant

• Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) Guide for Clinicians

• Transplant Designee Information Hub - Serves as the repository of transplant-related education and updates

• Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) Toolkit

• Forum of ESRD Kidney Transplant Toolkit

• 5-Diamond Patient Safety Program: Transplantation Module

• Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Educational Guidance on Patient Referral to Kidney Transplantation

LIVING DONATION

• American Society of Transplantation Live Donor Toolkits

• UNOS - Finding a Living Donor

• UNOS - Finding a Living Donor: Make Your Transplant Happen (English / Spanish)

• NKF - How to Make the Ask

• NKF - Living Donation

• National Kidney Registry - Facilitating Living Donor Transplant

• National Living Donor Assistance Center

• NJ Sharing Network

PATIENT-TO-PATIENT

• NKF Peers

Patient Voices: My Kidney Transplant Experience

• Patient Voices Handout (8x10)

• Patient Voices Postcard (5x7)

• Patient Testimonial Videos

• Tips for Implementing Kidney Transplant Patient Voice Resources 

Patient Voices: Spanish

• • Patient Testimonial Videos

  • Patient Poster

Network 3 Transplant Centers and Neighboring States Directory

TRANSPLANT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

• American Transplant Fund: Patient Assistance Program

• Needy Meds: Medicine Assistance

• UNOS Transplant Living: Prescription Drug Assistance

• NKF: Prescription Discount Card

ARTICLES

• Patient Education: Dialysis or kidney transplantation — which is right for me? (Beyond the Basics)

• ​Opportunities for Shared Decision Making in Kidney Transplantation

• Impact of Navigators on Completion of Steps in the Kidney Transplant Process: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

• Living Donor Kidney Transplantation: Improving Education Outside of Transplant Centers about Life Donor Transplantation - Recommendations from a Consensus Conference

PDFS OF RESOURCES

Use the resource library below to download PDFs of available resources. Having trouble with a resource? Access the library via this link.