Your Transplant Care Team

At UPMC Transplant Services, your care team will work together as a unified team throughout the transplant process to ensure the experience is as smooth as possible. Our experienced professionals will support and guide you every step of the way.

Start Your Transplant Journey

Your Transplant Coordinator

Each person who comes to UPMC for an organ transplant will have at least one coordinator. We assign them to you before you even visit UPMC.

Your transplant coordinator is a registered nurse with specialized training and experience in caring for transplant patients. Think of them as your main point of contact at UPMC Transplant Services.

Your coordinator will guide you through the entire transplant process — from the evaluation through transplant surgery to your return to daily life.

What does a transplant coordinator do?

Some of your organ transplant coordinator's tasks are to:

• Request your medical records before your pretransplant evaluation — For some types of transplants, the team needs to review your records and test results to see if you're a good fit for an in-person evaluation.
• Schedule your pretransplant evaluation visit at UPMC — Depending on the type of transplant you need, you may meet with many members of the transplant team over the course of three to five days. Your coordinator will make these appointments in advance of your visit.
• Answer any questions or concerns you or your care partners might have —The transplant evaluation and waiting process can be complicated and confusing at times. It may even be difficult to know what questions to ask. Your coordinator will provide you and your care partners with a binder of information and address any questions.
• Introduce you and your care partners to your transplant team — Your UPMC transplant team will include many members. Your coordinator will make sure you meet your transplant doctors, surgeons, nutritionist or dietitian, pharmacist, social worker, and credit analyst.

Your coordinator will also let you know the results of your pretransplant evaluation testing and if you're eligible for placement on the national organ transplant waiting list. 

Your Waiting List Coordinator

After we place you on the national organ transplant waiting list, we may assign a new coordinator for this phase of the process.

The waiting list coordinator's tasks are to:

• Ensure you know what doctor's appointments you need while waiting for an organ — Some organ transplant candidates return home during the waiting period. Some may be too sick and have to stay in the hospital while they wait. Others may need to stay close to UPMC or return regularly for exams.
• Provide you and your care partners with the support you need during the waiting period — Your coordinator or other members of the transplant team can provide you with information on temporary housing, such as Family House in Pittsburgh, support groups, educational opportunities, nutritional advice, and even other reliable resources that you may find helpful.
• Calling to let you know when we've found a matching organ — Your transplant coordinator will have multiple contact numbers for you. This will allow him or her to contact you as soon as we have a match.

Learn more about traveling to Pittsburgh for transplant services.

Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Coordinators for Heart Transplant Candidates

Heart transplant candidates who have ventricular assist devices (VADs) may be assigned a VAD coordinator to manage their care while they wait for a heart transplant. VAD coordinators are typically nurse practitioners or physician assistants who teach you how to use your VAD, answer any VAD-related questions you have, and manage all aspects of your VAD care.

Posttransplant Coordinators

After your transplant surgery, we may assign a posttransplant coordinator to manage your recovery and ongoing care.

Your posttransplant coordinator will remain your point of contact through the end of the transplant process. This includes during your recovery and after you have returned home.

You should contact your posttransplant coordinator when you have questions about:

• Insurance problems.
• Symptoms.
• Taking your medications and which new drugs are safe for you to take.
• Vaccinations.

Transplant Surgeons

As a potential candidate for transplantation, a transplant surgeon will evaluate you and:

• Discuss your condition with you and your care partner or loved ones.
• Talk about appropriate treatment options, including transplant.
• Address questions and concerns about the procedure.

Our surgeons also have a thorough understanding of the management of immunosuppressive drugs, which will help your body accept the newly transplanted organ and minimize drug-related complications after your transplant.

Transplant Physicians

Specialists who will medically manage your care before and after transplant surgery may include:

• Cardiologists
• Endocrinologists
• Gastroenterologists
• Hepatologists
• Nephrologists
• Pulmonologists

Transplant Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants

Nurse practitioners and physician assistants are licensed clinical experts who work alongside the doctors, nurses, and staff to provide a comprehensive care plan for patients throughout the entire transplant process, including pre- and posttransplant care.

Living Donor Advocates

If living donor transplant is determined to be an appropriate treatment option for you, your donor will be assigned an independent living donor advocate to act on the donor’s behalf.

The living donor advocate helps to ensure the donor is fully aware of what it means to be a living donor and understands the risks of the transplant surgery. The living donor advocate will voice any of the donor’s concerns to the multidisciplinary transplant team and will ensure that the donor’s decision is fully informed.

Transplant Anesthesiologists

Anesthesiologists are doctors who will administer the medications that keep you asleep during your transplant surgery and monitor vital signs such as:

• Blood pressure.
• Breathing.
• Heartbeat.

Transplant Pathologists

Transplant pathologists are doctors who are involved in processing and evaluating tissue biopsies, as well as in diagnosing disease progression.

Transplant Psychiatrists and Behavioral Health Specialists

The transplant psychiatric/behavioral health team will help you and your loved ones cope with the stresses associated with chronic disease and the transplant process.

Personalized services tailored to your needs include:

• Substance use counseling.
• Individual and family supportive therapy.
• Relaxation and stress management training.

Transplant Social Workers

Transplant social workers are specially trained in the unique financial, educational, and support needs of each transplant patient. Before, during, and after your hospital stay, a social worker is available to provide educational information and individual, family, or group counseling.

They can also provide and connect you and your family with resources and information, including:

• Community and support services.
• Financial recommendations.
• Temporary housing.
• Vocational rehabilitation. 

Transplant Pharmacists

Your transplant coordinator will arrange appointments with a transplant pharmacist as part of your routine posttransplant follow-up visits.

Transplant pharmacists:

• Are registered pharmacists who specialize in medical therapy for transplant recipients.
• Will care for you while you are in the hospital and after discharge.
• Work to ensure that your drug therapy meets your specific medical needs.
• Are available to answer questions concerning medications given in the hospital or at home.

Transplant Dietitians

Transplant dietitians are registered dietitians who have education and experience in managing nutrition for pre- and post-transplant patients. They can assess your nutritional status and make recommendations about therapeutic diets and nutritional supplementation.

Transplant Credit Analysts

Transplant credit analysts are responsible for:

• Timely and accurate financial clearance of all potential transplant patients.
• Detailed verification of inpatient and outpatient medical benefits.
• Specific transplant and transplant-related coverage.

Transplant Office Assistants and Medical Assistants

Transplant office assistants and medical assistants are responsible for scheduling clinic appointments and all required tests before and after your transplant.

Transplant Guardian Angels

Transplant Guardian Angels offer support and assistance to transplant patients, their families, and care partners during their stays at UPMC Presbyterian and UPMC Montefiore in Pittsburgh. 

They also provide nonmedical care by:

• Serving as companions and points of contact for families and care partners during surgery.
• Teaching the patient, their family, and care partners to navigate around Pittsburgh.
• Assisting the patient through the admission process.
• Guiding the patient and family to their room or preoperative area.