Your Liver Transplant Medical Team at University of Colorado Hospital
Our approach to transplantation is both unique and effective. Our Liver Transplant team includes a multidisciplinary group that specializes in transplantation. This integrated approach ensures that you receive the highest level of care and has been instrumental in helping us achieve one of the finest outcome records in the nation.
Liver Transplant Specialists: Core Medical Team
Transplant Surgeon – The doctor who performs your transplant. You will meet with the liver transplant surgeons during your liver transplant evaluation. The surgeon will discuss risks and benefits of liver transplant surgery. Your surgeon continues to work along side the hepatologists after your transplant.
Hepatologist – A licensed liver disease specialist who monitors your liver function throughout the entire transplantation experience.
Transplant Nurse Coordinator – Provides you with information about each stage of the transplant experience. One of the nurse coordinators will notify you when you are placed on the list and when a liver becomes available for you. They also will arrange your follow-up care after you are discharged from the hospital.
Transplant Nurses – Registered nurses who are specially trained to care for transplant patients. They teach you everything you need to know to care for yourself once you return home.
Psychiatrist – A doctor who helps people overcome emotional and psychological reactions to an injury or disease. The psychiatrist will meet with you and your family during the evaluation. Depending on your individual needs, you may or may not have additional consultations with the psychiatrist before or after your transplant.
Additional Liver Transplant Medical Specialists
Depending on your individual needs, any one, or all, of the following specialists also may be involved in your care.
Anesthesiologist – A doctor who is licensed and trained to administer medication to patients undergoing surgery.
Infectious Disease Specialist – A doctor who specializes in treating diseases caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses or fungi.
Immunologist – A doctor who is licensed to treat disorders of the immune system.
Pathologist – A doctor who is licensed and trained to identify diseases by studying cells and tissues under a microscope.
Psychiatrist – A licensed medical doctor who evaluates, diagnoses and treats mental disorders.
Other Liver Transplant Staff
Financial Coordinator – Discusses options for payment with you and your family, communicates with your insurance company prior to your transplant (if necessary) and answers billing questions after your transplant.
Nutritionist or Registered Dietitian – A professional trained to prevent and treat disease through the use of individual nutrients found in food and supplements. Your nutritional needs may change immediately after your transplant and again after your recovery. The transplant nutritionist meets with you during your hospitalization and in the clinic.
Social Worker – Provides you with emotional support, assistance with housing and discharge planning and a variety of other services as needed. The transplant social worker meets you during your evaluation and is available to you and your family at any time throughout the transplant experience.