Building Bridges: How DaVita Transplant Liaisons are Working to Close the Kidney Gap

At a Glance

While a kidney transplant is the most clinically- and cost-effective treatment for end stage kidney disease (ESKD), systemic barriers and social determinants of health frequently leave underserved communities behind.

Accelerating the path to transplant can help close persistent gaps in chronic disease management while also reducing the time patients spend on dialysis.

DaVita’s Transplant Liaison Program deploys specially trained community health workers called transplant liaisons to help break down systemic barriers, supported accelerated access to lifesaving kidney transplants for underserved communities and helping reduce how long patients remain on dialysis.

  • 26%: The program’s waitlist rate
    2,048: New patients supported in the program’s second year, expanding from 297 patients in program’s first year
  • 266 days: The average time for transplanted patients to receive a kidney once enrolled in the Liaison Program
    281: Successful transplants facilitated in the program’s first two years

DaVita internal data from Transplant Liaison Program Program Year (PY) 1 & 1. Program Year 1: 10/1/2023 – 10/1/2024; Program Year 2: 2/1/2025 – 2/1/2026.

The Complex Path to Transplant

For people living with kidney disease, a kidney transplant can be life changing; yet, the path is often fraught with obstacles. From navigating complex medical systems and evaluation processes to managing social determinants of health, the journey may feel overwhelming — especially for patients from underserved communities.

Barriers ranging from delayed referrals to gaps in continuity of care can create a landscape of uncertainty. This can result in persistent and inequitable gaps in care that demand a focused, collaborative solution.

To help address deep-rooted inequities and support patients in pursuing transplant, DaVita introduced the Transplant Liaison Program. The program, currently working with transplant centers across the country, offers patients navigation, education and advocacy support aimed at reducing systemic barriers and accelerating patients’ progress on the transplant journey.

Identifying and Breaking Down Barriers

Patients receiving both Medicare and Medicaid often face disproportionate burdens, including limited health literacy or financial constraints. These barriers can stall their transplant journeys.

DaVita’s transplant liaisons conduct structured, one-on-one assessments with patients and their care partners to identify individual barriers.

“The program is helping set a new standard for transplant support and demonstrating what’s possible when patients are guided with clarity, compassion and consistency upstream in the process,” says Will Maixner, senior director of transplant at DaVita.

During the program’s first year, transplant liaisons uncovered the most predominant opportunities to support waitlisting, including improving:

  • Clarity of communication
  • Bilateral information sharing with transplant programs
  • Motivation for patients to complete the evaluation
  • Ability to complete required medical testing
  • Understanding of the complex transplant process

With these barriers identified, transplant liaisons can intervene to meet patients where they are on the transplant journey. This can include helping patients understand, schedule and complete evaluation steps to reduce attrition in the waitlisting process. The transplant liaisons collaborate with transplant centers and other care teams to share real-time patient progress and create shared accountability to guide patients forward.

“DaVita transplant liaisons are uniquely positioned to help guide patients and unify care teams through the often fragmented and complex transplant process,” says Belinda Paganafanador, senior manager for DaVita’s national transplant team. “They provide targeted education, advocate for the patient, coordinate necessary care, help navigate complex medical testing and connect patients to crucial social and financial resources.”

Looking Ahead

As the Transplant Liaison Program continues to scale, the team remains focused on engaging patients who face significant barriers.

“We are helping individuals who have stalled in their journey — whether it’s because they require additional care to be transplant-eligible, could use more information to understand their options or would benefit from additional support,” Paganafanador says. “We want to transform the experience from one that can often feel isolating to one that’s filled with support, collaboration and empowerment.”

For more information, visit DaVita.com/Transplant.

[1] U.S. Renal Data System 2025 Annual Report, ESRD, Transplant, Figure 7.16: https://usrds-adr.niddk.nih.gov/2025/end-stage-renal-disease/7-kidney-transplant