title: Kidney transplant referral practices in southeastern dialysis units.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Southeastern Kidney Transplant Coalition was created in 2010 to improve kidney transplant (KTx) rates in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. To identify dialysis staff-reported barriers to transplant, the Coalition developed a survey of dialysis providers in the region.
  
  
  METHODS
  All dialysis units in the ESRD Network (n = 586) were sent a survey to be completed by the professional responsible for helping patients get transplants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One staff member at almost all (n = 546) of the dialysis units in Network 6 completed the survey (93% response rate). Almost all respondents reported being very comfortable (51.47%) or comfortable (46.89%) discussing the KTx process with patients. Just over half (56%) of facilities reported discussing KTx as a treatment option with patients on an annual basis. Fewer than one quarter of respondents (19%) perceived that more than 50% of their patients were interested in kidney transplant, and most of the staff surveyed (68%) reported that <25% of their dialysis patients completed the evaluation process and been wait-listed for a kidney transplant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The survey results provide insight into KTx referral practices in southeastern dialysis units that may be contributing to low KTx rates in this region.
authors.affiliation: University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Teri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Browne
authors.affiliation: Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Rachel E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Patzer
authors.affiliation: Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gander
authors.affiliation: Southeastern Kidney Council, Raleigh, NC, USA.
authors.forename: M Ahinee
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Amamoo
authors.affiliation: Southeastern Kidney Council, Raleigh, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Jenna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krisher
authors.affiliation: Southeastern Kidney Council, Raleigh, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Leighann
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sauls
authors.affiliation: Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pastan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006436:Hemodialysis Units, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000601:surgery*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards*; D011379:Prognosis; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: South; dialysis; provider; referral; transplant