Community Engagement to Improve Equity in Kidney Transplantation from the Ground Up: the Southeastern Kidney Transplant Coalition

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Rachel Patzer, Emory University; Samantha Retzloff, Emory University; Jade Buford, Emory University; Jennifer Gander, Kaiser Permanente; Teri Browne, University of South Carolina; Heather Jones, Vidant Medical Center; Matt Ellis, Duke University School of Medicine; Kelley Canavan, National Kidney Foundation; Alexander Berlin, Southeastern Kidney Transplant Coalition Patient Partner; Laura Mulloy, Augusta University; Eric Gibney, Piedmont Healthcare; Leighann Sauls, Alliant Quality Improvement Services Group; Dori Muench, Wake Forest Baptist Health; Amber Reeves-Daniel, Wake Forest University School of Medicine; Carlos Zayas, University of South Carolina; Derek DuBay, Medical University of South Carolina; Rich Mutell, Apex Health Innovations; Stephen Pastan, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2021-12-01
• Publisher: Springer Nature
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40472-021-00346-x
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Current Transplantation Reports
• Volume: 8
• Issue: 4
• Start Page: 324
• End Page: 332
• Keywords: population health; transplant; access

Abstract

Purpose of Review: The purpose of this review is to describe the Southeastern Kidney Transplant Coalition’s mission, vision, goals, and Early Transplant Access Registry as an example of a community/academic collaboration dedicated to improving access to transplantation and reducing inequities in transplant access. Recent Findings: The barriers and facilitators to referral and evaluation for kidney transplantation are not necessarily the same as for waitlisting and transplantation. Recent findings suggest that inequities in transplant access are multilevel and multifactorial and require continued community engagement to improve access to kidney transplantation across patients, health systems, and populations. Summary: Community-engaged approaches are critical to ensuring that inequities in transplant access — which may vary across regions — are not only described but are addressed in practice in a sustainable manner.