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Preparing For Your Evaluation

Prior to being accepted as a transplant candidate you must be scheduled for an evaluation appointment with us. The evaluation visit is designed to provide both a medical evaluation of you and an opportunity for you to learn about transplantation as a treatment option. At some point after this initial appointment, you may be asked to complete other tests or additional consultations prior to being listed for a transplant.

The following information will help you prepare for your kidney transplant evaluation appointment at Upstate University Hospital. In some instances your evaluation appointment may be completed via telemedicine.We recommend that you read everything and contact us if you have any questions.

Bring your medical records

In order to completely understand your current medical condition we will require any pertinent medical records and test results that have been completed by your doctors. The following is a list of items we need if available:

  • History & Physical examination from your nephrologist and/or primary care physician
  • Your blood type
  • Recent blood test (if done in the last 3 months)
  • Reports from any other specialists you are currently seeing (i.e. cardiologist, oncologist, etc.)
  • Chest X-ray (if done within the last year)
  • Other blood tests including:  Hepatitis B & C profiles, HIV and RPR (Rapid Plasma Reagin)
  • If on dialysis - nutritional and social work assessments
  • If you have an advance medical directive that >outlines your wishes and preferences in regard to medical treatments and interventions please bring a copy
  • Any other testing (i.e. X-rays, ultrasounds or cardiac studies) that your physician feels is important that we have
  • Some other tests that we may request
You or your physician's office may fax or send any reports to:

Transplant Program Office
Upstate University Hospital, 2W
750 East Adams Street
Syracuse, NY  13210
Fax: 315-464-6288

Your visit will last anywhere from 4 to 6 hours. We kindly ask that you arrive promptly. We strongly urge you to bring someone with you, like a family member, significant other or friend. We share a lot of information with you on evaluation day and our patients find it very helpful to have another person with them. If you are unable to keep your appointment please contact us as soon as possible so that we may arrange for you to reschedule.

Please bring these items

  • Photo ID
  • Insurance card or other verification
  • List of all medications you are currently taking
  • Snack or lunch (if necessary, the hospital cafeteria is conveniently located adjacent to the Transplant clinic)
  • Any medications that you may need to take during your the time of your scheduled visit
  • Other Test we may request:
    • For males 50 years of age and older: PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen)

    • For women 25 years of age and older: Pap smear

    • For women 45 years of age and older: Mammogram

    • For all patients 45 years of age and older:
      - Screening colonoscopy or Cologuard
      - If diabetic or on dialysis longer than 2 years: Nuclear stress test

Importance of Blood Type (ABO & Rh)

Your blood type is something very important for us to record accurately. The organization that regulates transplantation for the federal government asks for two separate ABO tests before anyone can be listed for a kidney transplant. We will do one of these ABO tests on the day of your evaluation; however, we ask for you to arrange for the second one to be done by your local doctor preferably before your visit but you may have it done after your visit. If you have the ABO test done before your visit please bring the results with you or have your doctor's office fax them to us. If you have the test done after your initial visit then please have the results faxed to us as soon as possible so there won't be any delay in listing you for a transplant.

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