What happens at the evaluation appointment?
Most outpatient evaluations will be conducted over a period of 1-2 weeks. During this period, the patient will see the transplant surgeon, pulmonologist, social worker, psychiatrist, transplant coordinator, financial counselor, dietitian, as well as other specialists if needed. Several diagnostic tests may have to be performed to determine the patient’s candidacy for transplantation. For inpatients, the evaluation will be performed to during their 2-3 days of hospitalization.
Once the evaluation is completed, each patient is presented and discussed at the weekly transplant conference. In this conference, a multi-disciplinary decision will be made regarding the candidacy of the patient for transplantation. The patient and the referring physician will be informed of the recommendation of the team.