Case Studies
Case studies showcase real-world applications of policies and innovations, offering insights into improving outcomes and efficiency. They enhance problem-solving skills, highlight best practices, and engage through storytelling for education and transparency.
How Dedicated Education and Outreach Enhances Relationships Between Transplant Centers and Transplant Case Managers
Susan
Piccirilli
, MBA
, Manager of Transplant Program Development
, UPMC Presbyterian
The Challenge
Continual education for patients and transplant professionals is an essential component of every transplant program. Education is focused on addressing barriers to transplantation, educational gaps, and common questions that prevent patients from receiving life-saving transplant care.
Transplant case managers are key to helping patients navigate the transplant process. In 2024, our center embarked on an initiative to evaluate current relationships with transplant case managers, better understand the role of a transplant case manager, and develop customized education to better support case managers as they work with transplant patients.
This abstract profiles how we developed and executed an educational strategy to strengthen relationships with transplant case managers through on-going education and outreach.
The Approach
Our center coordinated a research initiative that included interviews with transplant case managers from national payer organizations. A sample of seven professional transplant case managers were recruited using the following screening inclusion criteria:
• Employed by a nationally recognized health care payer organization
• Two years of direct, hands-on transplant case manager experience
Interviews with transplant case managers were conducted via phone by an independent health care research consultant.
The Results
Research findings indicated that transplant case managers are primarily responsible for educating patients about the transplant process, helping patients find a transplant center, and coordinating various aspects of patient care. Transplant case managers shared that patients have a general understanding of the transplant process but often lack the specific information needed to make an informed decision about their care. Transplant case managers play a substantial role in helping a patient identify a transplant center, considering geography, the expertise of the transplant center, and their own working relationship with staff at each transplant center.
As a result of these findings, we executed a three-pronged approach to increasing education, addressing case manager challenges/concerns, and reestablishing and strengthening relationships.
1. Transplant Case Manager Education – Case manager online education hub, quarterly case manager e-newsletter, print material.
2. Patient Education – Resources and talking points for case managers to support patient conversations, including brochures, fact sheets, and patient testimonials.
3. Outreach/Relationships Building – Virtual education sessions covering topics/questions from transplant case managers hosted by our experts were offered throughout the year. Post session evaluations (sample questionnaire attached as an exhibit along with the list of topics that are available) yielded ideas for new topics with over ten additional offerings planned for 2026. The transplant center also offered nursing continuing education credits to all attendees who completed the post session registration/survey.
4. Site visits were also scheduled where representatives from payer groups traveled to our center for tours and one on one conversations with key transplant leaders across all service lines.
Results:
• Case managers reached each quarter via print/digital education = 300
• Education sessions hosted for case managers = 15 (666 total attendees)
Insights & Lessons Learned
“Education sessions from the transplant team as well as the case manager e-newsletter equip our transplant case managers with advanced clinical knowledge, improve care coordination, support professional development, and enhance patient advocacy—all of which lead to better transplant outcomes and stronger partnerships,” said a nurse leader from a national payer group.
“The site visit strengthened our partnership with the transplant center by fostering collaboration, enhancing understanding of advanced transplant practices, and aligning on strategies to improve patient outcomes and access to care,” she added.
Our case manager research initiative and strategy demonstrates how transplant centers can leverage targeted education with customized messaging and resources to better support transplant professionals as they care for patients. This additional layer of support can positively impact a patient’s transplant journey and help them receive life-saving transplant care sooner.