1. Patient Affairs Committee
Spring 2014

2. Ongoing Committee Initiatives
Incorporating Social Media information into
Developing FAQs for Wait Time Transfer Project
Developing patient resources for Teen Transition Project
Facebook and other forms of social media are being increasingly used by the public to solicit living donors for transplant. With that in mind, the committee worked with UNOS Communications to add information to the living donation page of the patient website, Transplantliving.org, that encourages safe and responsible use of social media.
It also collaborated with the Operations and Safety Committee to help develop an FAQ for the Wait Time Transfer Workgroup. The FAQ is part of a proposed Online Toolkit available for transplant programs that are involved in a collective, or mass transfer of patients. The document could also be part of the Patient Information Kit that is available upon request through the UNOS Patient Services Line and the UNOS Online Store.
The Committee is also collaborating with UNOS staff to develop online resources that promote early emphasis on teen transition for patients, families and professionals.

3. New Committee Initiatives
Kidney Referral Education Project
Pancreas Allocation Brochure
Kidney Allocation System (KAS) Education Project
As far as new initiatives, Patient Affairs is working with the Minority Affairs Committee to develop a patient-focused resource that encourages early referral for transplant, with a focus on minority and underserved communities. We have also reviewed the Pancreas allocation brochure that is currently being developed to make sure it has a patient focus. And we are working with the Kidney Committee and UNOS staff to develop resources that will educate patients and the general public about the new kidney allocation system.

4. Questions?
Laura Ellsworth Committee Chair
Freda Wilkins MSW, M.Div Committee Liaison