Table 3.
Structure and Process of Care and Frequency of Outpatient Follow-up Visits
| Percentage | p-value | |
|---|---|---|
| Recipients stay as inpatients in: | p<0.001 | |
| Unit dedicated to transplants | 24.4 | |
| Unit only with patients with kidney-related disorders | 31.4 | |
| Unit other patients with non-kidney-related disorders | 35.9 | |
| Various units | 5.1 | |
| Other | 3.2 | |
| Dedicated physicians who regularly consult: | p<0.001 | |
| None | 23.7 | |
| Cardiologist | 52.6 | |
| Infectious diseases | 62.2 | |
| Psychiatry | 34.0 | |
| Endocrinology | 31.4 | |
| Other | 15.4 | |
| Health care professionals on in-patient transplant service: | p<0.001 | |
| Transplant surgery fellows | 29.5 | |
| Nephrology fellows | 60.3 | |
| General surgery residents | 71.8 | |
| Urology residents | 24.4 | |
| Internal medicine residents | 48.1 | |
| Physician assistants | 28.2 | |
| Nurse practitioners | 35.9 | |
| Other | 22.4 | |
| Health care professionals on out-patient transplant service: | p<0.001 | |
| Transplant surgery fellows | 19.9 | |
| Nephrology fellows | 59.0 | |
| General surgery residents | 25.0 | |
| Urology residents | 7.7 | |
| Internal medicine residents | 10.9 | |
| Physician assistants | 21.8 | |
| Nurse practitioners | 40.4 | |
| Other | 37.8 | |
| Primary attending physician in ICU: | p<0.001 | |
| Transplant surgeon | 39.1 | |
| Transplant nephrologist | 19.9 | |
| Intensivist | 31.4 | |
| Other | 9.6 | |
| Transplant fellowship offered: | p<0.001 | |
| Yes | 69.2 | |
| No | 30.8 | |
| Number of personnel available: | ||
| Mean number of full-time equivalent transplant nephrologist available | 4.0 ± 3.7 | |
| Mean number of full-time equivalent transplant surgeons available | 3.8 ± 6.6 | |
| Time when referred back to general nephrologist post-transplant: | p<0.001 | |
| Not referred back | 13.5 | |
| 0–3 months | 21.8 | |
| 4–6 months | 42.9 | |
| 7–12 months | 12.8 | |
| Other | 9.0 | |
| Frequency of follow-up during the first year post-transplant: | p<0.001 | |
| Not seen unless problems arise | 1.9 | |
| At least every 1 month | 34.6 | |
| At least every 3 months | 40.4 | |
| At least every 6 months | 14.7 | |
| Other | 8.3 | |
| Frequency of follow-up after the first year post-transplant: | p<0.001 | |
| Not seen unless problems arise | 3.2 | |
| At least every 3 months | 28.2 | |
| At least every 6 months | 24.4 | |
| At least every 12 months | 35.9 | |
| Other | 8.3 | |
| Initial contact after-hours: | p<0.001 | |
| Nursing staff | 51.9 | |
| Physician assistant or nurse practitioner | 1.3 | |
| Intern and/or resident | 5.1 | |
| Transplant fellow (medical or surgical) | 10.9 | |
| Attending transplant physician or surgeon | 25.0 | |
| Other | 5.8 |