What are you presenting on at TMF?

My session will explore the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and organ donation and transplantation. As AI technology evolves, I believe it has the potential to significantly improve how we approach organ allocation. By harnessing its ability to analyze large amounts of data, AI and predictive data models can not only predict outcomes but also run complex algorithms more efficiently and effectively, ultimately improving the entire allocation process and saving more patient lives.

Why do you think this is an important topic for the community?

AI is becoming an integral part of our everyday lives and work. When properly used, these technologies can save lives. As these technologies continue to evolve, it’s crucial to understand them, especially when they are being implemented in life-saving systems. Trust is at the core of this process—it’s not just about having confidence in the technology itself, but also ensuring transparency in how AI systems are developed and how decisions are made.

What are you hoping attendees gain from your session?

I want to challenge attendees to think beyond the current possibilities and envision what’s next for organ allocation and transplantation. While AI is still in its early stages of adoption, it’s already proving to be a powerful tool, and understanding its capabilities is essential. By gaining a deeper understanding of these technologies, particularly in the field of organ transplantation, we can foster more thoughtful and informed conversations about its future potential. If we get it right, we can optimize organ placement, foresee organ failure risks and ultimately allocate more life-saving organs to patients.

This session is sponsored by Statline.

Attend this session and more at TMF 2025

Learn more from Mathur at the 2025 Transplant Management Forum in San Antonio, TX.  Registration is now open.

What is the topic of your session at TMF?

My session will highlight the importance of collaboration between the clinical, business, and regulatory roles and how bringing these viewpoints together creates successful transplant programs that prioritize patient care and outcomes.

Why do you think this topic is important for leaders in the community?

Regardless of whether you are a veteran provider or a quality coordinator just starting out,  the day-to-day operations of a transplant program require collaboration. It’s essential to bring together diverse viewpoints and expertise to ensure the success of the program, and this is where collaborative leadership plays a pivotal role. It’s about recognizing that working together, rather than in silos, is key to better outcomes and sustainable programs.

What are you most excited about at TMF?

One of the aspects I love most about transplantation is the continuous opportunity for learning—it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in the field; there’s always something new to discover.

I’m excited to present alongside two colleagues with extensive business, quality and operational knowledge of transplant and make a positive impact where I can. I’ve had many roles in transplant over the years, but I’ve also had the first-hand experience of being a living donor to a family member.  I’ve on lived both sides, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned.

Attend this session and more at TMF 2025

Learn more from Butler at the 2025 Transplant Management Forum in San Antonio, TX.  Registration is now open.

What will you two be presenting on at TMF?

The topic of our session is the relationship between transplant program staff and the C-Suite. For the past several years, we’ve seen how important this relationship is for getting the resources we need to be successful.

In six years, Hackensack University Medical Center went from just 90 transplants a year to 346 transplants in 2024. As programs grow, so do their needs, and that kind of growth takes more than a traditional mindset—it’s about viewing the C-suite as a true partner, not just a resource. The C-suite and us are both focused on the endgame, which is the patient.

We both come from backgrounds in critical care nursing, and we’ve been able to learn best practices to help ourselves and are excited to share with other programs.

What are you hoping TMF attendees will learn if they attend your session?

Our leadership, specifically our north region president, knows our program almost as well as we do. This has allowed us to do patient recruiting outside our main patient focus area. This partnership should go beyond human resources and focus on the growth and strategy of your program, which is ongoing and forever. That’s the shift we hope to demonstrate to other transplant programs – that establishing those relationships in the long run is good for the hospital, the transplant program and ultimately, the patients.

Last year was our first time attending TMF and we are eager to return and share our own experiences.

Attend this session and more at TMF 2025

Learn more from Geatrakas and Socci at the 2025 Transplant Management Forum in San Antonio, TX.  Registration is now open.

What will you be presenting at TMF?

I will be giving an overview of kidney paired donation (KPD) and sharing how programs can set up successful KPD programs. We did our first paired exchange back in 2008 and now we are the largest single center KPD program in the country. I will be talking about everything from what are favorable pairs, to deciding what database to use.

What led you to take an interest in this topic specifically?

I’ve been in transplant for over 40 years and KPD is one of the most rewarding programs I’ve had the privilege to be a part of. When we first started our program, our motto was “We don’t say no, we say yes.” It’s incredibly fulfilling to help people who struggle to find matches or face long waits for transplants.

Seeing patients regain their health and return to being productive members of society—whether they’re no longer on dialysis or can finally walk across the room after battling congestive heart failure—is truly inspiring.

Why do you think it’s important to learn about this topic as a community?

It’s important for the community to know that there are underutilized resources available to start your own or join KPD programs. With enough pairs, you could exchange within your region, and I would love to see regional KPD programs in the future.

Attend this session and more at TMF 2025

Learn more from Murphey at the 2025 Transplant Management Forum in San Antonio, TX.  Registration is now open.