New York, NY (May 8, 2025) - The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) has launched a financial tool designed to assist transplant programs and hospital systems assess the cost-benefit of growing a living kidney donation program specific to their operation.
Using a combination of pre-loaded Medicare data and inputs from the user, the Living Donation Business Case Toolkit estimates the financial benefits of growing a living transplant program and provides resources to help transplant administrators present a financially sound business case to C-suite for investing in their program.
“This toolkit is a powerful and timely solution that will help new and experienced administrators convey the financial benefits of living donor kidney transplantation,” said Jennifer Milton, Clinical Assistant Professor and the Chief Administrative Officer at the University Health Transplant Institute and a major contributor to the project. “It could not come at a better time as many centers are now mandated to grow under the IOTA model, and the overall need for kidney transplant continues to grow.
In addition to her work on the toolkit, Milton also works at the University of Texas Health San Antonio where she is charged to integrate the business, operational, quality, and strategic efforts for pediatric and adult transplantation, organ failure and liver and pancreas tumor programs.
“We created this toolkit after hearing too often the belief that investing in living donor kidney transplantation doesn't generate positive financial return for transplant centers. The reality is, it can - and this resource makes that clear,” said Kevin Longino, Chief Executive Officer at NKF. “We're deeply thankful to Jennifer Milton, Andrea Tietjen, and Robert Howey for helping us turn this idea into a tool that will help save lives.”
"Given the length of the kidney donation waitlist, living donation is one of the best transplant options. Patients, families, and communities will ultimately benefit from the successful implementation of this toolkit and the growth that will follow, helping people with kidney failure lead fuller, longer lives,” said Milton.
For more information or to find out how the Living Donation Business Case Toolkit can help your institution visit https://www.kidney.org/professionals/living-donation-business-case-toolkit.
About the National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation is revolutionizing the fight to save lives by eliminating preventable kidney disease, accelerating innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis, and transplantation. For more information about kidney disease, please visit www.kidney.org/
Media Contact:
Jade Rivera-McFarlin
413-537-1155
Jade.riveramcfarlin@kidney.org
###