The Kidney Transplant Program is part of a multi-organ transplant center at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. You’ll receive complete, personalized assessment and treatment for end-stage renal disease.

You’ll have close support and guidance from our experienced transplant team, including specialized pancreas care if you have a multiple organ transplant procedure. Our program is part of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and is an approved Medicare program.

Whether you receive or donate a kidney, you can count on dedicated care from transplant leaders. Our services include:

• Collaboration with your health care providers
• Comprehensive evaluation
• Education about your condition and treatment
• Long-term support and follow-up care
• Preparation for transplant
• Transplant surgery

Your doctor and care team will evaluate your condition to determine whether a kidney transplant is an option. Providence transplant specialists consider these and other requirements:

• A diagnosis of end-stage renal disease
• An absence of certain health conditions, such as active cancer, liver or heart disease
• At least 18 years of age, with no firm upper age limit, depending on health status
• Evidence of being socially responsible, willing and able to comply with medical treatment
• Of fair health, with no active infections or other major medical problems

Providence accepts kidney-transplant referrals from doctors throughout Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon, as well as doctors from outside this area. We also accept self-referrals. To be considered for kidney transplant surgery, contact the transplant team: 509-474-4500 or 800-667-0502. 

Kidney Transplant Referral Form

A transplant coordinator will help you arrange transplant education, evaluation testing, and appointments with our transplant nephrologist, surgeon and psychologist.

Providence transplant specialists will decide whether a transplant is a good treatment option for you. If you’re eligible to receive a kidney transplant, our transplant coordinators will talk with you about additional details and processes.

Your pancreas is a small but important organ located behind your stomach in the upper part of your abdomen. It releases enzymes that help you digest food. It also produces insulin and glucagon hormones that manage blood sugar.

If your treatment plan includes a pancreas transplant, surgeons will place a pancreas from a deceased organ donor into your body. Once you have a new pancreas, you will no longer need insulin injections but you’ll still need certain medications and follow-up care.

Providence accepts pancreas-transplant referrals from doctors throughout Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon, as well as doctors from outside this area. We also accept self-referrals. To be considered for pancreas transplant surgery, contact the transplant team: 509-474-4500 or 800-667-0502. 

Pancreas Transplant Referral Form

Transplant specialists will review your medical history, condition and other details. You will complete extensive personal and medical testing, including the same tests used for kidney transplant evaluation, plus a few additional tests.

If you meet certain requirements and our transplant team decides that a pancreas transplant is a good treatment option for you, we will notify you and place your name on the national waiting list. We’ll talk about surgery options, which include:

• Simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplant: for people with end-stage kidney disease and diabetes-related complications
• Pancreas transplant: for people who have a condition called hypoglycemic unawareness or other complications from diabetes

In addition to other organ transplant requirements, you must meet the following pancreas-transplant criteria:

• Insulin-dependent diabetes with daily insulin needs less than or equal to 1 unit/kilogram
• Body mass index (BMI) of less than or equal to 30 with C-peptide less than or equal to 2 ng/ml
• BMI less than or equal to 28 with C-peptide greater than 2 ng/ml

Please contact our kidney and pancreas transplant program at 1-800-667-0502 for more information about whether a pancreas transplant is a good treatment option for you.

If you have advanced kidney disease and diabetes complications, Providence transplant doctors review your medical condition, health history and other evaluation process details. Transplant doctors may advise either single or combined organ transplant surgery. Separate operations may be needed for certain medical conditions.

If you’d like to be considered for transplant surgery, our nephrologist or dialysis unit can refer you to our program. You can also refer yourself. Contact us at 509-474-4500 or 800-667-0502. Please complete the transplant referral form in advance. After we receive your referral, we will contact you to start the transplant process.

During your transplant evaluation, you’ll have several types of tests. The transplant program pays for lab tests, radiology tests and cardiac tests. You’ll need a dental evaluation and cancer screening depending on your age and risk. You are responsible for paying for these tests.

We will schedule an educational session and evaluation with all transplant team members. Please bring a support person with you who will help you throughout your recovery.

To be considered for a kidney or kidney-pancreas transplant, you must meet these criteria:

• Have irreversible kidney failure with 20% or less of normal kidney function, requiring or close to requiring dialysis.
• Certain types of kidney disease must be at an inactive stage.
• Have adequate insurance to cover the transplant, medications, office visits and lab testing needs after your transplant.
• Arrange to have someone immediately available to support you after your transplant, as well as family or friends who can help you get to and from office visits and lab testing, as well as with home care needs.
• Be able to understand and manage, or have someone help you manage, the medical treatments needed for a successful transplant. You’ll take medications for life, and need regular lab testing and doctor visits.
• No active, chronic or untreatable infection.
• No severe heart disease, blood vessel disease, liver or lung disease, or other unmanaged medical problems.
• No current cancer or a cancer with a high chance of reoccurring. If you have had cancer, you’ll require a period of observation after treatment to assure there is no recurrence.
• No use of nicotine and no active use of recreational or illicit drugs, including marijuana.
• No untreatable mental illness. If you have a mental illness, it must be well treated and you must have a treatment plan that includes routine psychology or psychiatry follow up.
• A good social support system, which may include a group of friends, family, co-workers or church members.
• Demonstration of medical compliance by completing and attending all dialysis sessions as prescribed, attending doctors’ visits, taking medications as prescribed and completing your transplant evaluation as scheduled.
• Have a primary care doctor or a diabetes doctor to provide care after transplant.
• Have a weight with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 39.

For a pancreas transplant, you must meet these additional criteria:

• Insulin-dependent diabetes requiring less than or equal to 1U/kg/day of insulin.
• Body mass index (BMI) less than or equal to 30 with C-peptide less than or equal to 2 ng/mL.
• BMI less than or equal to 28 with C-peptide greater than 2 ng/mL.