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Support Group Calendar
SAVE THE DATE!
April 8
Update on Herbal Supplements
Presented by:
Karen Hardinger
Research Medical Center
6:30-8:30 p.m.
(Meeting Room 3-4)
June 10
The Living Donor Option
Presented by:
Liz Blakley
Research Medical Center
6:30-8:30 p.m.
(Meeting Room 3-4)
Aug. 12
Let's Talk Medicare
Presented by:
Peggy McGinnis
Research Medical Center
6:30-8:30 p.m.
(Meeting Room 3-4)
Oct. 14
Weight Control Before and After Transplant
Presented by:
Cady Pembroke
Research Medical Center
6:30-8:30 p.m.
(Meeting Room 3-4)
December
Holiday Open House
Details coming soon!
The Transplant Institute
@ Research Medical Center
6400 Prospect, Ste. 328
Kansas City, MO 64132
(816) 822-8257
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From Dr. Murillo....
 The Transplant Institute at Research Medical Center had a busy and exciting 2008, and 2009 is off to a great start. Renal failure continues to be a major medical problem for Americans, and for appropriate candidates, kidney transplantation is the preferred treatment option. A lot of effort in the medical community has gone into screening patients
at risk for the development of renal failure. Such risk factors include those patients with diabetes and hypertension. Catching these risk factors early aids in decreasing the incidence of renal failure. However, the number of people being added to the transplant wait list continues to grow. Currently, 83,000 people in the United States are waiting for a kidney transplant and almost 4,000 people are waiting for a pancreas transplant. At The Transplant Institute we have over 100 people waiting for either a kidney or pancreas transplant. Obviously, the limiting factor is the availability of organs, which is why it is so important to increase the awareness of organ donation. The
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recognizes this problem and has developed the Donor Collaborative. The Donor Collaborative monitors the donation rates at major hospitals in the United States. Those hospitals that are able to convert 75 percent of potential organ donors to actual donors are awarded a medal of honor. Research Medical Center has now won that Medal of Honor four years in a row.
The Transplant Institute is constantly striving to become the best transplant center in the region. A lot of work is involved from the time a patient is referred for transplant, placing them on a wait list, arranging the transplant and then following the patient for the life of the organ. The office staff and nurses do a tremendous job of coordinating this process and managing over 500 transplanted patients. Our organ graft survival rates are consistently above the national average, but there is always room for improvement. Under the leadership of Becky Hulett, RN, BSN, director of Transplant and Nephrology Services, and Shawna VanLeeuwen,
RN, operations supervisor, I am confident 2009 will be our best year ever.
Daniel Murillo, MD
Medical Director
The Transplant Institute |
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Meet the Transplant Team!
Over the past 30 years, The Transplant Institute at Research Medical Center has earned a reputation of technical excellence, cutting-edge research and success in kidney and, now, pancreas transplants. Our world-class physicians, led by Daniel Murillo, MD, accredited transplant surgeon, have completed hundreds of successful transplants.
Research Medical Center is committed to building our Transplant Institute into the most active, successful center in the Midwest, offering the region's only simultaneous pancreas/kidney transplant program at a private hospital with a dedicated transplant ward and onsite living donor transplant coordinator.
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Donor Awareness Month
(April 1-30)
In recognition of National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Month, the Transplant Institute at Research Medical Center and the Midwest Transplant Network have scheduled special activities on selected dates in April. Please try to attend one or all of the programs below. The "Donate Life" flag will fly at Research Medical Center for the entire month of April.
April 6-10
Donor registration table in the cafeteria
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
April 15
"Tree of Life" ceremony - 2 p.m.
(Kevin Hicks will plant a tree outside the ICU patio in honor of our donor families)
Gift of Life Memorial/Reception
(Research Medical Center chapel)
Date/Time TBA
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Research Medical Center Awarded
National Gold Medal of Honor
Hospital receives honor for fourth consecutive year
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently honored 412 of the nation's largest hospitals for substantially raising the organ donation rates of eligible donors. Among the honorees, for the fourth consecutive year, was Research Medical Center. The hospital received the Department's Medal of Honor for Organ Donation at the Fourth National Learning Congress on Organ Donation and Transplantation in Nashville on Oct. 24.
 "We are pleased to be recognized by the Midwest Transplant Network and Department of Health & Human Services with the Gold Medal of Honor for Excellence in Organ Donation Efforts. We value our relationship with the Midwest Transplant Network and will continue to educate people on the importance of organ and tissue donation," said Kevin Hicks, president &
CEO at Research Medical Center.
In collaboration with the Midwest Transplant Network, an Organ Procurement Organization (OPO), Research Medical Center had eight or more potential organ donors during a 26-month period ending in May 2008, and sustained a donation rate of 75 percent or more from among eligible donors.
Nationally, the success of the collaborative made it possible to transplant 3,905 more organs from deceased donors in 2007 than in 2003. In 2007, 30,530 organs were transplanted during 28,358 organ transplant operations. Of the total number of transplanted organs, 24,217 came from deceased donors (79.3 percent) and 6,313 were from living donors (20.7 percent).
"Honoring a loved one's wishes for end-of-life is a high priority for many family members. The teamwork efforts between the E.D. and ICU staff of dedicated nurses, physicians and other colleagues ensures that those wishes are fulfilled in a positive and dignified way. The collaboration with Midwest Transplant Network and Research Medical Center has shown that together we can surpass national goals to assist in the organ donation and transplantation initiatives. We are honored to be key members in that collaborative effort here in the Kansas City area," said Maria Fox, ICU director at Research Medical Center.
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Insurance Update
Research Medical Center is contracted with the following payors for kidney, pancreas and simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplant services:
* Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas City - including Blue Advantage & Blue Care, Freedom Network & Freedom Network Select, Preferred Care and Preferred Care Blue
* Coventry - including its "Advantra" Medicare products
* Humana - including its "Gold+Plus" and "Gold Choice" Medicare products
* Medicare -
including those with Supplemental Medicare Insurance or "Medigap" plans such as AARP Options, Sterling & Blue Cross and all Medicare Private Fee For Service plans
* Medicaid - including all Missouri HealthNet and Kansas HealthWave plans
(i.e. Blue Advantage+Plus, Family Health Partners, Healthcare USA, Molina and Unicare)
* SmartCare - HCA employees' PPO plan administered by Aetna
* Employers Health Network -
Bass Pro Shops employees' PPO plan administered by St. John's
If you do not have insurance with these companies we can call your insurance company and try to negotiate with them to allow your transplant to occur at Research Medical Center. While we will work diligently to assist you in attempting to assure that you receive maximum benefits at our facility, we do not have the ability to overrule coverage decisions made by those health plans with which we do not contract.
Shawna VanLeeuwen, RN
Operations Supervisor
The Transplant Institute
(816) 276-3559 |
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