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Transplant staff to present at annual meeting by Maggie Diebolt Public Relations Representatives from MUSC’s Transplant Division will discuss major improvements in organ transplantation during the  annual Nephrology and Transplantation update meeting of the National Kidney Foundation of Georgia and the Georgia-South Carolina Society of Nephrology. This is the first year that MUSC has been asked to attend and present at the conference to be held Sept. 13-16 at the Westin Resort in Hilton Head.   “MUSC Kidney Transplant Program: An Overview of the Quality Initiatives,” will be presented by Prabhakar Baliga M.D., director, Transplant Program; and Francesca Egidi, M.D., the new medical director, Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program, and professor in the Division of Nephrology.   Baliga will discuss the multidisciplinary efforts that have resulted in major improvement in the outcomes and quality of life of transplant recipients. One of the major successes of the MUSC program has been an increase in the number of kidney grafts from living, related, and unrelated donors among blacks.   Egidi will discuss the guidelines and criteria for living donations during the presentation.   The MUSC Transplant Program also will have a booth at the conference, in which physicians, coordinators and social workers will provide information regarding the transplant process. This initiative will help health care providers involved with end stage renal disease patients know how to refer their patients to MUSC. It also will help build and maintain communication among nephrologists, primary care physicians and transplant team members in the community.   The conference will include educational activities for health care professionals who care for patients with a variety of kidney diseases. Presentations will cover a broad scope of information relevant to nephrologists in the private sector and academia, general internists, physician assistants, nephrology nurses and technicians, nurse practitioners, nephrology social workers, renal and clinical dietitians, fellows, residents, administrators and other health professionals interested in the care of patients with kidney disease.     Friday, Aug. 24, 2007 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.