If you are looking for a kidney transplant center you may feel lost.
As you start on the complex and highly emotional journey to a life-saving transplant, you may not know where to begin.
Though you do know that the success of their transplant depends on the kidney transplant center, you may not have a clear path on how to find a good one.
You have probably asked your doctor about centers s/he would recommend, called centers near you or searched Google and talked to family and friends.
How do you put it all together to make the best choice?

1. Start with the centers your doctor recommended: Ask your doctor where he sent other patients for their kidney transplant and why s/he thinks those centers would be a good option for you.
   Discuss his experience with those centers.
   
2. Get the facts on the centers your doctor recommended: Get the facts on how successful the kidney transplant centers your doctor recommended are.
   Find out how long their patients live after their transplant, how well they recover and how long their transplants last.
   Also, look at their experience and their wait time for a kidney.
   
3. Expand your list to centers near you: Most doctors encourage their patients to explore all center options near them.
   Exploring all kidney transplant centers near you is also necessary if you don't have a doctor to recommend a center, or if you face obstacles at the centers your doctor recommended.
   Again, compare success, experience and wait at all the centers near you.
   This will help you narrow your options to the two or three that have better results.
   
4. Explore the top centers and centers with the shortest wait: If you can travel, these are kidney transplant centers you must consider.
   They offer an alternative in cases where the success rates at centers near you are lower or the wait is longer.
   
5. Narrow down your options: Use the facts to narrow down your center options to the two or three with the best success and shorter wait.
   
6. Discuss the facts and trade-offs with your doctor: Print the key facts on center success, experience and wait.
   Bring them to your next doctor visit.
   Ask your doctor what these mean for you, given your age and your health condition.
   Get his/her help to weigh trade-offs such as excellent success but long wait at some centers.
   Discuss any experience your doctor has had with these centers and ask for names and contact information of patients s/he has referred there.
   Once you learn about these patients' experience, make your final center choice with your doctor.
   

Your doctor is critical to your final transplant center choice.
However, not all patients have a doctor who can refer them for a kidney transplant.
If you are in that situation, follow steps 2-5 above.
Once you narrow down your options to two or three centers you can self-refer there.
The transplant centers themselves can answer questions that your doctor would otherwise address.