How to assess a patient's support system and personal abilities prior to liver transplantation

Most liver transplant programs have come to accept the importance of evaluating the psychosocial status of potential liver transplant recipients prior to liver transplantation. The goal is to utilize a thorough assessment of the candidate's support system and personal abilities in order to predict post-transplantation compliance and overall medical-surgical outcome. To achieve this goal, it has been necessary to include a large number of multidisciplinary specialists including social workers, nurses, and psychologists as well as physicians in the evaluation process. Each disclipline contributes to the overall assessment and management of these candidates prior to and following liver transplantation. The purpose of this report is to describe how one spectrum of issues relating to a potential candidate's strengths and vulnerabilities are assessed in the liver transplant program at the University of Kentucky.