What Sets Us Apart: The ABMT Team

The Adult Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant (ABMT) Team includes health care professionals who are specially trained in bone marrow and stem cell transplantation and dedicated to helping you through all phases of the transplant process. They will determine whether you are a good candidate for a transplant and then provide you with the information and support necessary to decide the right treatment for you. You will meet each member of the team during different periods of your care.

Once you are enrolled on a transplant protocol, the ABMT team will provide you with the treatment and care required throughout the transplant process. However, you are the most important member of the transplant team and your participation is vital. Throughout your treatment we will encourage you to ask questions and take an active role in your treatment and recovery.

The ABMT Team

The physicians with the program are board certified physicians who specialize in bone marrow and stem cell transplantation. They will oversee your treatment care. During treatment, the transplant physician will work closely with your home physician and will keep the physician informed of your clinical status.

The nurse clinicians are the primary contact for you, your family and your home physician during the transplant process. The nurse clinician assigned to you will work closely with you and your home physician in coordinating the tests, exams and treatments received at Duke.

The nurse practitioners and physician assistants work closely with the physicians and other transplant team members in providing your care. They work in both the outpatient clinic and inpatient unit.

The clinical pharmacist meets with patients to discuss the medications prescribed, educating them on why each medication is important and any possible side effects. The pharmacist works closely with other team members, including the physicians and nursing staff in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.

Financial counselors work closely with you and your insurance company in determining the transplant benefits of your policy. If your insurance company requires authorization, the financial counselors send the insurance company the information they need to review your case and determine eligibility. The counselor will help you with understanding your benefits and provide information about other sources of funding.

The nursing staffs in the inpatient unit and outpatient clinic are registered nurses specializing in bone marrow and stem cell transplantation. Nurses on the inpatient unit will care for you any time you are admitted to the inpatient unit. Nurses in the clinic will administer priming chemotherapy and possibly growth factor in preparation for apheresis. They also complete the continuum of care with stem cell reinfusion and supportive care during recovery until you are discharged.

The clinical social worker specializes in determining the emotional, financial and social impact of transplantation on both you and your family. She will work closely with you throughout the transplant process, providing information and emotional support that will help you and your family during this time.

A registered dietitian and dietetic technician will be available to you and your family to help you understand your nutritional needs and restrictions. They will monitor your food intake during and immediately following transplant and will help you develop a meal plan prior to your discharge.

The physical therapist is trained to evaluate your musculoskeletal system and exercise capacity. This team member will help develop an exercise plan you can use while at Duke and after you return home.