Teams of transplant physicians, nurse coordinators, social workers and volunteers from the Saint Barnabas Health Care System Renal and Pancreas Transplant Centers are crisscrossing the state to bring the facts about transplantation directly to people with kidney disease. “Our vision is to fully educate everyone on dialysis about transplantation, so they can make an educated choice about their treatment options,” says Margaret Miele, L.C.S.W., Director of the Outreach Initiative for Transplant Education—more simply known as the Did You Know campaign.
Several months of research revealed that the most effective way to inform patients about transplantation is to bring the message directly to dialysis centers. The new outreach campaign, funded by the Lichtman Family Foundation, educates dialysis patients, as well as the dialysis nursing staff, about the latest trends and advances in renal transplantation. Professionals are joined by volunteer ambassadors who can best convey the benefits of transplantation and address patients’ concerns about this treatment.
“By the end of 2001, the teams will have visited nearly a dozen dialysis centers in the region, with concentrated efforts in urban areas such as Newark and Jersey City, where the rate of transplantation lags behind that of suburban areas,” notes Ms. Miele.
Still in its infancy, the program has received warm reviews. In fact, several dialysis centers have requested a second outreach visit. “The dialysis centers understand the importance of getting the facts about transplant to their patients and welcome the assistance this campaign provides them in meeting that challenge,” explains Ms. Miele.
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