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Transplant Team

Listed below are the types of team members you may meet on team evaluation day:

Transplant Surgeon — The transplant surgeon will perform your kidney transplant surgery and supervise your care immediately following your surgery. The transplant surgeon will also follow your progress after you are discharged from the hospital.

Transplant Nephrologist — Transplant nephrologists will manage your medical care while you are in the hospital for your transplant. They will also provide follow-up care in the transplant clinic, adjusting your medications and monitoring your progress.

Physician Assistant — A physician assistant (PA) is a member of the transplant team who practices medicine under the supervision of a licensed physician. The physician assistant may obtain your medical history, perform your physical exam and supervise your transplant evaluation. He or she will educate you about transplantation as a treatment option for kidney disease. After transplant, the physician assistant continues to serve as an important member of the health care team. He or she will follow your progress in the hospital as well as in the transplant clinic.

Nurse Practitioner — A nurse practitioner is a member of the transplant team who practices medicine under the supervision of a licensed physician. The nurse practitioner may obtain your medical history, perform your physical exam and supervise your transplant evaluation. He or she will educate you about transplantation as a treatment option for kidney disease. After transplant, the physician assistant continues to serve as an important member of the health care team. He or she will follow your progress in the hospital as well as in the transplant clinic.

Transplant Coordinator — A transplant coordinator is a registered nurse who is specially trained to care for patients before and after kidney transplantation and to provide support to you and your family. Transplant coordinators work in different stages of the transplant process. One coordinator will be responsible for obtaining the results of your evaluation. This coordinator will serve as your main contact for questions from the time of your evaluation until the time of your transplant. Additional coordinators will follow your progress in the hospital and provide follow-up care at each clinic visit after you are discharged.

Social Workers —Social workers are available for evaluation and supportive counseling for you and your family throughout the phases of transplant. If you need information about local housing, fund-raising, and other transplant resources, the transplant social worker can assist you.

Psychiatrist — A psychiatrist will meet with you during the evaluation to obtain a general mental health history. He or she can identify personal or social situations that may affect the likelihood of a successful outcome after transplant. Psychiatric help is available for any developing needs or concerns.

Clinical Nutritionist — A clinical nutritionist will see you before and after your transplant to evaluate your diet and to help you maintain a healthy weight. The nutritionist will make recommendations regarding weight management and diet prior to transplantation. After your transplant you may have difficulty maintaining your weight and controlling your cholesterol and blood sugar levels. The nutritionist will be available to see you regularly after your transplant to discuss these issues.

Pharmacist — A pharmacist will begin working with you after your transplant. It is important for you to clearly understand your medications and how each affects your body. The transplant pharmacist, along with your transplant coordinator and nurses, will explain the actions, dosages and side effects of your medications. The pharmacist will be available to answer questions during your hospitalization and after transplant.

Chaplain — A chaplain is available to visit with you while you are at Emory University Hospital , remaining on call 24 hours a day. The chaplain can help you and your family deal with the emotional and spiritual issues that can be associated with transplantation.

Staff Nurses — Staff nurses are registered nurses responsible for monitoring your daily care in the hospital. They will teach you how to check your vital signs and identify any signs and symptoms of infection. They will help you learn how and when to take your new transplant medications. Staff nurses play an important role in alerting the entire team to any potential problems you or your family may have.

Transplant Financial Coordinator — Transplant financial coordinator is available to help you understand the financial issues of your transplant. Should you wish, he or she can discuss your financial concerns during any stage of your treatment.

Call Center Team - The Emory Transplant Call Center team is specially trained to review offers for all organs that match with potential recipients at Emory University Hospital.  This nursing  team is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to review donor offers with the transplant surgeon on call.   Together with numerous organ procurement organizations,  this team of specially trained nurses is responsible for coordinating the transplant process from the time the initial offer is received through calling a patient in for their transplant.  If and when a patient is offered a possible transplant, one of these coordinators will be in contact.

Main Number: (404) 727-0717
Toll Free Number: 1- (877) 509-9877
Fax: (404) 727-8972
Toll Free Living Donor Number:
1 - (866) 727-3250

Main Number: (404) 727-8938
Toll Free Number: 1- (888) 247-9052

Directors
Surgical
	Christian P. Larsen, MD, PhD Chairman, Department of Surgery Chief Surgical Officer, Emory Healthcare Chief, Transplantation Services Associate Vice President and Executive Director, Emory Transplant Center Co-Director, Kidney/Pancreas Transplant Program Board-Certified: Surgery Professional Degree: Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA Residency: Emory University Affiliated Hospitals, Atlanta, GA Fellowship: University of Oxford, UK, - General Surgery; Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, GA, - Transplantation Surgery Clinical Interests: Islet transplantation, Kidney transplantation, and Pancreatic transplantation
	Thomas C. Pearson, MD, DPhil Surgical Director, Kidney Transplant Program Co-Director, Kidney/Pancreas Transplant Program   Board Certified: Surgery Professional Degree: Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA Residency: Emory University Affiliated Hospitals, Atlanta, GA Fellowship: University of Oxford, UK, 1987 - General Surgery; Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, GA, - Portal Hypertension; Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, GA, - Transplantation Surgery Clinical Interests: islet transplantation, kidney transplantation, & pancreatic transplantation
Medical
	Antonio Guasch, MD Medical Director, Kidney/Pancreas Transplant Program Board-Certified: Internal Medicine & Nephrology Professional Degree: University of Barcelona Medical School Residency: Grant Hospital of Chicago Fellowship: Stanford University Hospital, Stanford, CA Clinical Interests: hypertension & nephrotic syndrome
Surgeon Profiles
	Allan D. Kirk, MD, PhD, FACS Professor and Scientific Director, Emory Transplant Center Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar McKelvey Scholar Board-Certified: Surgery Professional Degree: Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC Residency: Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC Fellowship: Research Fellow in Surgery, Duke University, July 1989 - September 1992 Fellow in Transplantation, University of Wisconsin, July 1995 - June 1997 Clinical Interests: kidney transplantation and pancreatic transplantation
	Kenneth Newell, MD, PhD Director, Living Donor Program Board-Certified: Surgery Professional Degree: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI  (M.D.) and the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL (Ph.D.) Residency: Loyola University , Chicago , IL Fellowship: University of Chicago , IL Clinical Interests: islet transplantation, kidney transplantation, & pancreatic transplantation
	Paul Tso, MD Board-Certified: Surgery Professional Degree: University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD Residency: Louisiana State University Affiliated Hospitals, New Orleans, LA Fellowship: Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems, Baltimore, MD; Ohio State University, Columbus,OH , Clinical Interests: islet transplantation, kidney transplantation, & pancreatic transplantation
	Nicole Turgeon, MD Board-Certified: Surgery since 2004 Professional Degree: University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA Residency: University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester, MA Fellowship: University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, WI Clinical Interests: Islet transplantation, Kidney transplantation, Pancreatic transplantation, Alloantibody, living donor surgery and antibody mediated rejection.
Nephrologists
	Sharon Graves, MD Board-Certified: Internal Medicine and Nephrology Professional Degree: University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL Residency: Emory University, Atlanta, GA Fellowship: Emory University, Atlanta, GA Clinical Interests: Renal hypertension, kidney disease, renal transplantation, renal replacement therapy, post-transplant bone and mineral metabolism disorders, secondary hyperparathyroidism, acute renal failure, end stage renal disease
	Sudha Tata, MD Board-Certified: Internal Medicine Professional Degree: Madras Medical College, Madras, India Internship: Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA Residency: University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, TX Fellowship: University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, TX; Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN Clinical Interests: dialysis – renal hyperkalemia, hypertension, kidney disease, kidney transplantation, post transplant care, renal dysfunction, renal failure, renal hypertension