Psychosocial readiness assessment for heart transplant candidates

Psychosocial evaluation for transplant suitability is required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as a condition of participation for transplant programs. There are no regulations regarding follow-up reassessment for transplant readiness after waitlisting.

An evidence-based pilot project was developed and implemented to evaluate the feasibility of psychosocial readiness assessments for waitlisted heart transplantation candidates. The primary aim was to test the feasibility of these assessments in practice from a patient and programmatic perspective.

During a 12-week period, waitlisted outpatients underwent one assessment each. Socioeconomic elements of caregiver support, housing, transportation, and insurance coverage status were assessed by simple using "yes/no" questions. To assess mental health needs, the General Anxiety Disorder-7 questionnaire (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) tools were utilized. Rescheduled readiness visits and no-show rates were measured. A post-implementation Qualtrics survey was administered to measure team member perceptions of feasibility.

A total of 57 patients were assessed during the 12-week period. The primary aim of feasibility was achieved with 93 % of visits performed with freedom from rescheduling or patient no-show to the visit. Additionally, 75 % of team members reported the readiness assessments were feasible to complete in practice.

Addressing the non-medical and mental health needs of waitlisted heart transplant patients allows transplant programs to maintain candidates with necessary resources and care. The readiness assessments are feasible in practice and may serve to reduce untoward outcomes in the post-transplant phase by providing targeted care prior to the time of transplant.