Kidney Recipient and Transplant

 

Contact Us

 

Just as the Norton Thoracic Institute’s lung transplant program has ascended to national and regional recognition, the Norton’s liver and kidney transplant programs are making a similar ascent thanks to the same patient-first culture of excellence and industry-besting outcomes.

Our kidney transplant program is certified with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services. We use a multidisciplinary team approach to transplant care and take a whole-body approach to kidney disease, investing both in the prevention and treatment of early-stage disease and the management of end-stage disease. 

Why Get A Kidney Transplant?

The kidneys are two organs located just below the rib cage near the spine. They help to filter and remove waste by producing urine.  When your kidneys can no longer filter waste properly, waste accumulates in the body and can result in kidney failure, also known as end-stage renal disease. When this happens, there are two options available:

  • The first option is commonly dialysis, which uses a medical device to help perform the function of the kidneys when they are no longer able to do so effectively. It works by filtering the blood, removing waste products, excess fluids, and toxins from the body, and then returning the filtered blood back into the body.

  • The second option may be a kidney transplant.  This transplanted kidney can come from a deceased organ donor or from a living donor that donates one of their kidneys.

Benefits of a Kidney Transplant

When a patient living with kidney failure receives a kidney transplant, especially from a living donor, there can be immediate results. The new kidney may begin to remove toxins from the recipient’s body within hours. Many other health complications that came from kidney failure can be reversed or begin to slow. The recipient may find that they have increased energy, and no longer need to schedule life around a dialysis machine.

Patient-First Focus

Our patient-first culture drives every member of our team to provide unparalleled care to patients with end-stage renal disease and to foster a collaborative working relationship among referring physicians, patients and the Norton transplant team.

Each patient receives personalized care from a multi-disciplinary team of nephrologists, nurse practitioners, nurses, dietitians, social workers, psychiatrists and financial coordinators. Each patient is assigned a nurse transplant coordinator, who guides the patient and family through the transplant process which includes evaluation, waiting for an organ, donor match, surgery and recovery. 

Examples of our patient-first focus

  • Our nationally and regionally leading multi-organ transplant center leverages the expertise and outcome-focused culture benefited from our lung transplant leadership into every facet of liver and kidney transplants.

  • Acknowledging that this is a new process for each patient and so our team proactively attends to every pre-and post-transplant detail including diagnostic imaging, phlebotomy, patient care coordination services, and doctors' office cordiality.

  • Timely and speedy initial consultation appointments, highlighted by collaborative results with contracted payers including AHCCCS, Mercy Care, Medicare, and many popular commercial plans.

  • Expediting care-coordination and easing the stress of the transplant evaluation process.

  • Social workers help patients facing psychosocial or socioeconomic challenges, with professional counseling and other services to help patients cope with and resolve their problems.

  • If required, the Norton can provide multi-organ transplant expertise (e.g., simultaneous liver-kidney transplant) with coordinated lifelong care.

  • Expert, experienced team of kidney transplant specialists, including board-certified transplant nephrologists and transplant surgeons who are among Arizona's most experienced.  

  • Liver and kidney transplant support group for patients and their caregivers held every month via Zoom (https://commonspirit.zoom.us/j/99759146364?pwd=bmg4emM0M1h6NVpUOGNDeTJmTVRHUT09)

Learn More

For more information on the kidney transplant program at Norton Thoracic Institute at St. Joseph’s, please call a transplant coordinator today. Ensuring the best possible outcomes for your patients is our team's top priority in our role as your transplant experts. By collaborating closely, we can achieve great results together.