Additional Liver Transplant Resources

Education: Education for you as well as your caregivers is an important key to a successful transplant. You are the first, best advocate of your own care and treatment. Start reading about the process. Ask questions of your physicians. If you are unsure or uncomfortable with an answer to your question, you can ask your question again, saying, 'I didn't understand..." or "Could you explain your answer with fewer medical terms?" You can also ask to talk with someone else on the transplant team.

Medical Provider Experts: Your transplant doctors, as well as transplant psychologists, social workers, dietitians, patient coordinators, and nurses, are used to providing information to patients considering a transplant. Don’t be shy to ask questions about anything you are uncomfortable with or concerned about.

Other Important Things To Consider: There is a lot you will need to know as you approach this important surgery, including: 

• Check your health insurance coverage and know what it will cover
• Learn your rights and the rules of the transplant system
• Understand how the surgery will be done
• Know the medications one needs to take before and after
• Ask about complications that can occur
• Know the estimated recovery time, and post-surgery follow-up

Resources for becoming educated include numerous websites on transplant topics, educational materials produced by pharmaceutical companies, and meetings or conferences held by transplant centers for their patients. The transplant center you are considering may have patient education materials either online or as handouts.

Transplant Websites

Below are some reliable websites that can support you in the transplant journey. All are annotated and listed in the Support section of our site.