310118 Pre-Transplant Psychological Assessment: Predicting the Success

Course overview

Discusses the role of the pre-transplant psychological assessment in predicting the success of the transplant, including components and goals of the evaluation, ethical concerns related to organ transplantation, questions commonly asked, factors associated with poor post-operative compliance, and evolving challenges related to evaluations for organ transplantation. When considering an individual’s eligibility for organ transplantation, conducting a preoperative psychological evaluation of the patient is just as crucial as performing the medical assessment and evaluation. Individuals undergoing organ transplant are at an increased risk for non-compliance with their treatment regime. In addition, these individuals also have a higher risk for negative medical and/or psychological outcomes in the post-operative period. Addressing areas such as past adaptation to stressors, coping skills, compliance, substance abuse history, and anxiety and depression, the preoperative psychological evaluation should be conducted utilizing a multidisciplinary approach in order to determine an individual’s ability to address and handle the issues often encountered both pre- and post-transplant. This program discusses the pre-operative psychological evaluation of transplant patients and donors, including goals, components, concerns, and evolving challenges.