Throughout this issue of Transplant News, articles are dedicated to the services and characteristics that, together, contribute to the making of a quality transplant program. According to Shamkant Mulgaonkar, M.D., Chief of Renal Transplantation for the Saint Barnabas Health Care System, there are other equally important factors that establish a transplant facility as a "center of excellence." Dr. Mulgaonkar recommends that individuals consider the following:
1. Experience. Performing a large number of transplants is a good indicator as to whether a center and its staff are experienced and competent. The Saint Barnabas Health Care System Renal and Pancreas Transplant Centers perform more renal transplant than any other facility in New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia or Boston.
2. Access to multidisciplinary specialist. End Stage Renal Disease may be accompanied by other complex medical conditions that require the coordination of more than one specialty. The Saint Barnabas Renal and Pancreas Transplant Centers provide the full complement of medical specialist to maximize each patient's individual and comprehensive care.
3. Multicultural sensitivity. Wherever a patient is treated, he or she wants to feel welcome and understood. For this reason, both Saint Barnabas Medical Center and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center have bilingual staff members and access to translators, as needed, to ensure that patients feel supported and informed throughout their treatment process.
4. Education and emotional support. End Stage Renal Disease is a life-altering event. The Renal and Pancreas Transplant Centers are committed to helping patients and their families understand their medical conditions and the options available to them. Ongoing seminars and support groups, as well as individual counseling sessions are offered throughout the year to assist patients in feeling informed and an active participant in any health care decisions.
5. A commitment to technology and cutting edge procedures. A facility's commitment to technology and the latest procedures offers assurance that a program is growing and keeping up with medicine's greatest advances. Saint Barnabas and Newark Beth Israel Medical Centers have performed numerous "transplant firsts" in the State of New Jersey, including transplantation on the youngest baby in the state, the first laparoscopic kidney retrieval, and the first pancreas after kidney transplant.
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