Kidney Transplant Outreach Clinic opens on campus

Coloradans in need of a kidney transplant now have a faster path to life-saving surgery. Intermountain Health’s nationally ranked Kidney Transplant Program has opened a new outreach clinic at Good Samaritan, offering patients the opportunity to significantly shorten their wait times for a life-saving organ transplant.

Intermountain Health’s transplant program, based in Salt Lake City, boasts one of the nation’s shortest average wait times for a kidney transplant – under one year, compared to the national average of three to five years.

This new Colorado clinic enables patients to complete their pre- and post-operative appointments close to home, only requiring travel to Utah for the transplant surgery.

With more than 1,300 Coloradans currently on the national kidney organ transplant waiting list, many may not realize they can be listed at multiple transplant centers. This practice, known as multiple listings, can dramatically increase a patient’s chances of receiving an organ sooner.

“Each transplant center has its own criteria for organ offer acceptance,” said Donald Morris, MD, medical director for the Intermountain Health Kidney Transplant Program. “Transplant centers in different regions have different waitlists. Being listed at more than one program in different regions increases the likelihood that a patient will get transplanted.”

The Intermountain Health Kidney Transplant Program was recently ranked as the No. 4 transplant program in the nation out of 230 programs, according to the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients.

The program has performed more than 1,200 living kidney transplants and is also a leading national participant in the Kidney-for-Life program, a national initiative that facilitates living kidney donor transplants from a large, well-matched pool. 

“Our clinic is dedicated to giving Colorado patients faster access to transplants and top-quality care,” said Amy Herbert, BSN, RN, CCTC, program and nurse manager for kidney and pancreas transplant services with Intermountain Health.

“This approach lets patients stay close to home both before and after their transplants, keeping their support systems intact while they receive excellent transplant care,” she added. “By offering local pre- and post-transplant care, we can greatly enhance our patients’ lives, ensuring they get the best care possible without the hassle of traveling long distances.” 

The new Intermountain transplant clinic’s opening reflects Intermountain Health’s commitment to clinical excellence and its dedication to improving the lives of kidney patients by expanding its services throughout the Intermountain West. Nationally, about 90,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant according to the U.S.  Health Resources and Services Administration.

Members of Good Samaritan’s medical staff with questions about the program can contact Herbert via email.