The UAB Liver transplant team consists of the following members:
- Transplant Surgeon
- Transplant Hepatologist
- Nurse Coordinator
- Nurse Practitioner
- Surgeons Assistant
- Staff Nurse
- Social Worker
- Dietician
- Pharmacist
- Chaplain
Transplant Surgeon
The Transplant Surgeon performs the actual transplant procedure and medically manages during the pre and post-operative period. The surgeons at UAB also procure the donor organ.
The liver transplant surgeons at UAB are:
Transplant Hepatologist
The Transplant Hepatologist in conjunction with the surgeons and other team members medically manage the patient before, during and after transplant.
The UAB Transplant Hepatologists are:
Nurse Coordinator
The transplant nurse coordinator manages patient care by coordination with physicians, nursing staff, and other health professionals to ensure that high quality patient outcomes are accomplished.
Nurse Practitioner
The Nurse Practitioner functions as liaison to the medical staff.
The Nurse Practitioner provides support, integration, and coordination of clinical activities to enhance the delivery of quality patient care.
Surgeons Assistant
The surgeons assistant is an integral part of the UAB team. This team member assists the surgeons during the actual transplant, and follows closely the patients progress both during inpatient stay and outpatient follow up.
Staff Nurse
The UAB hospital nursing staff provides care for the liver transplant patient intraoperatively, immediately postoperatively in SICU, and on the Liver Transplant floor. The nursing staff will provide care, and will be instrumental in determination of patient education needs throughout the hospital stay. UAB boasts an experienced staff, well versed in the postop care of the liver tranplant recipient.
Social Service
The UAB Social Worker assists the patient with psychosocial needs, and also is instrumental in providing housing or other needed entities post discharge.
Pharmacist
The Pharmacist instructs the patient about immunosuppressive medications, and self-administration of each prescribed drug. Knowledge regarding these medications and proper use is imperative to positive long term patient outcomes.
Dietician
The dietician is available to ensure that the transplant patients caloric needs are being met while hospitalized. The dietician will also instruct the patient on his/her post transplant dietary regimen.
Chaplain
The Chaplain is available to provide spiritual guidance and direction if needed for patient and family.
Each of the skilled health care professionals who make up the transplant team are involved in providing quality care. At UAB, the patient is an important member of the transplant team. It is the patient's physical, emotional and practical needs that help shape a personalized pre and post-transplant treatment program.