Financial Preparedness for Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Patients

Abstract

There is growing demand from consumers (Bailey, 2024) and regulators (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services [CMS], 2023) for healthcare organizations to address the financial impact of medical treatment options before care begins. Setting financial planning goals for patients has been controversial in transplant centers. This study was designed to give kidney and pancreas transplant patients a voice in the debate. The Kidney/Pancreas Transplant Social Work team designed a prospective, descriptive study to obtain feedback from post-transplant patients. Survey response rate was 46.7% of the patients who completed their post-transplant social work appointment during the study period. Results showed that 93% of patients who responded felt financially prepared for their transplant and that a comprehensive financial assessment and plan are welcomed and essential for preparing patients and reducing post-transplant stress.