Choosing the center where you will have a transplant is a major decision. Over 200 centers in the United States offer bone-marrow and stem-cell transplantation. How does one go about evaluating their services to select the best one?
The January 1994 issue of the Blood & Marrow Transplant Newsletter outlined important points to consider. The information in that newsletter was used as a basis for the points reviewed below. Additionally, a worksheet (PDF) is available for use in evaluating transplant centers.
| Transplant Center Number of Transplants Type of Transplants Performed Diseases Treated Treatment Plan |
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| Transplant Team Support Blood & Marrow Transplant Physician Training Experienced Nursing Team Accessibility of Medical & Nursing Services Educational Support Psychosocial Support Nutritional Support |
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| Financial Planning Cost of Treatment Patient Financial Services |
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| Long-Term Follow-Up Support for Physicians Consultation |
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| Other Factors to Consider Children Visitation Policy Preliminary Testing Getting Answers |
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| Worksheet for Assessing Treatment Center (PDF,
40 KB) Use this Bone Marrow Transplant Worksheet to help you consider the various factors involved in choosing a transplant center |