Identifying a Transplant Center

A patient diagnosed with a disease for which hematopoietic cell transplant (bone marrow, PBSC, or cord blood transplant — BMT) is a potential treatment option should be referred to a transplant center for consultation. The transplant center will work in partnership with the referring physician to determine whether and how transplant fits into the patient's treatment plan. Most patients return to the care of their referring physician after consultation.

Factors to consider

The following are factors to consider when selecting a transplant center for patient referral:

• Whether the center has protocols in place for transplanting the patient's disease — protocols and diseases treated vary among centers.
• The center's level of expertise and experience treating the patient's disease.
• The distance of the transplant center from the patient's home — Most allogeneic transplant recipients require ongoing post-transplant care from a physician specialized in transplant.
• Family and caregiver support available at the center — Many centers require patients to have a caregiver, and caregiver support can have a strong influence on survival after allogeneic transplants.
• Financial considerations — Consult with the transplant center regarding insurance coverage or the cost of transplant. In the United States, the patient's insurance company may have a list of centers of excellence in the patient's area.

Finding a transplant center

• CIBMTR transplant center directory - http://www.ibmtr.org/cgi-bin/TRANSPLANT/transplant_centers.pl
  — contact information for more than 450 transplant centers from 48 countries
• NMDP U.S. transplant center directory — detailed information, including outcomes data by disease for U.S. centers that perform unrelated donor transplants through the NMDP
• NMDP international transplant centers — contact information for international centers that work with the NMDP
• BMT InfoNet transplant center directory - http://www.bmtinfonet.org/centers — information, including number and type of transplants done, for U.S. and Canadian transplant centers

The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Office of Patient Advocacy can offer assistance in identifying a transplant center for patient referral. To contact the NMDP Office of Patient Advocacy, call (888) 999-6743 (toll-free in the United States) or (612) 627-8140.