Heart Transplant

Heart transplant process

You will go through a series of appointments and evaluations to make sure you have all the information you need before your transplant.

Do you have a few questions? Lots of questions?
We'll try to answer them all for you. Below is some initial information, as well as a list of people who will be able to answer your questions during the transplant process.

Here are the first steps you will take that will help your and your team determine your treatment:

1. Your first appointment: Typically, your primary doctor or cardiologist will refer you to our program. One of our nurse coordinators will schedule you for an initial consultation to decide if you need a formal evaluation.

2. Evaluation: You will have several visits with our transplant team members. These visits and evaluations will help us determine if heart transplant is the best treatment for you. We will make sure you do not have any other diseases that may shorten your life after transplant.

3. Your transplant team: The most important member of your team is YOU! You will be working with a number of people who will be committed to you and your needs.

• Coordinator – will be the main contact for you, your family, your care team and your insurance payers.
• Cardiologist – will work with other team members to create a treatment plan that fits your needs.
• Surgeon – will explain the surgery and possible risks.
• Neuropsychologist – will check your memory, thinking and other brain functions.
• Social Worker – will meet with you and your family to check your support system, your ability to cope with the transplant process, and other issues such as finances and insurance.
• Patient Financial Representative – will obtain insurance permission for your evaluation and for the transplant process.
• Dietician – will assess your nutrition status, and provide education about special diets for heart failure and post transplant patients.