Purpose: There is growing demand from consumers and regulators to provide information about the financial impact on patients before medical treatment begins. Supplying financial information and assigning financial planning goals for transplant patients has always been controversial. This study was designed to give our patients a voice in the ongoing debate.
Methods: Our Kidney Pancreas Social Work team created a financial assessment tool which focuses on the patient’s concrete financial resources, expenditure commitments, and the future transplant expenses they would likely encounter. This tool and educational materials were shared during the initial and subsequent Social Work assessments. Each patient’s financial circumstances were reviewed utilizing this tool and a standard process was applied to determine if a fundraising goal was needed. After transplant, patients were given a 10-question survey to provide feedback about the process and how prepared they felt for transplant.
Results: We received 510 completed surveys from patients 20 to 86 years old between June 2017 and June 2023.  There were 1,321 kidney and pancreas transplants in our program during this time. Survey response rate was 39% of all transplanted patients.
Of the responding recipients, 125 had been assigned a fundraising goal (25%). Ninety-three (93%) of the patients reported feeling adequately prepared for their first-year post-transplant expenses and they could afford their medications. The mean fundraising goal was $4,187. The mode was $3,000. When looking at the age of those assigned a goal, those 30-49 years of age made up 45% of the total and those 50-69 years of age were 41% of the goals assigned. Patients who were assigned a fundraising goal had gaps in resources for medications (67%), relocation (51%), and insurance premiums 23%).
Conclusions: The fact that 93% of the respondents felt prepared for their first-year post-transplant expenses, suggests that a comprehensive financial assessment and plan are essential in preparing patients for transplant and reducing post-transplant financial and emotional stress.