Evaluation and Pre-Transplant

Are you a potential kidney transplant recipient? We invite you to meet our team, learn more about transplant, and have your needs fully assessed through a pre-transplant workshop evaluation. We encourage you to bring a family member or friend who will be a partner in the transplant process.

Pre-transplant workshop evaluations take place at 8:30 AM on either Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday. The workshop will last approximately 4.5 hours and includes:

• Comprehensive mandatory education about the transplant process
• Consult with social worker, dietitian, clinical transplant coordinator, and transplant surgeon
• History and physical examination performed by transplant physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner
• Living donor education
• Screening tests as needed
  • Blood tests
  • Chest x-ray
  • Mammogram
  • Pap smear
  • Colonoscopy
  • Cardiac and vascular evaluation
  • Any other tests that may be medically indicated

Results are reviewed by our multidisciplinary transplant team including all the needed specializations, and determination of eligibility for transplant is made on an individual basis.

Upon completion of the workshop:

• The patient will receive a list of consultations and testing REQUIRED to be done prior to consideration for listing
• The patient will be given a contract to complete the workup in a specific time frame (90 days)

Our goal is to list patients within 90 days of their workshop date.

Please fill out the following form prior to your evaluation and bring with you to your appointment:

Pre-Transplant Evaluation Questionnaire

After being deemed eligible for a kidney transplant, our team will add you to the national, regional, and local waiting lists via the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). UNOS manages the list of people across the United States that are in need of an organ transplant. UNOS ensures that deceased donor organs are fairly distributed to transplant candidates based on blood type, tissue type, medical urgency, waiting time, expected benefit, geography, and other medical factors. A deceased donor is a person that has agreed to donate their organs or their family members have made the decision to donate their organs for a transplant. These individuals are screened to ensure the organs are healthy enough for transplant.

Unfortunately, deceased donors are in short supply and wait times for a kidney reflect that. According to the National Kidney Foundation, the average time frame for waiting can be 3-7 years; however, the wait time varies based on individual cases. Those with the option to use a living donor will wait significantly less time.

Factors that will determine how long you wait for a kidney:

• Dialysis start date is your wait list qualifying date once you are placed on the list in an active status
• For pre-dialysis patients, your wait list qualifying date is the date you were put on the list with a qualifying GFR (percentage of kidney function)
• Blood type (see table below)
• Weight/Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Other medical factors may affect individual wait times

Your transplant center will inform you of your status on the waitlist and any changes to your status while on the list.

• Once a patient is active on the waitlist, it is important that blood is sent to the transplant center every month for crossmatching purposes
• Keep us notified of any changes in your insurance coverage
• Keep us notified of any changes in your contact phone number or address
• Keep us informed of any hospitalizations or change in medical status
• Keep all of your medical testing up to date

Periodically, you will need to have testing updated in order to maintain your status on the waitlist.

When a kidney becomes available, your Stony Brook Kidney Transplant team will contact you. You must be able to respond quickly and be prepared at any time while you are active on the waitlist. Be sure to discuss the procedures with the Stony Brook team so you are well prepared.

Here are some tips on staying prepared for the call:

• It can happen ANY time, day or night, weekend, holidays, etc.
• Keep your cell phone with you at all times, be sure they are charged, and always answer it even if you don't know the number
• Have a plan in place for transportation to and from the hospital

What you need to do once you get the call:

• Bring a copy of your insurance card and medication list
• Arrive at the hospital at the appointed time (usually within 1-2 hours of the call)

Yes. You have the right to refuse a kidney transplant.

Yes. Multiple listing (being on more than one list at a time) is permitted. However, you may only be listed at one transplant center in the entire state of New York. Multiple listing may decrease time on the waitlist. 

Additional Resources:

UNOS FAQs about Multiple Listing and Wait Time Transfer

If you wish to transfer your wait time from another transplant center to Stony Brook, you must put the request in writing. We will be happy to initiate the transfer of your wait time.

Additional Resources:

UNOS FAQs about Multiple Listing and Wait Time Transfer