Asti's 'Hello Kidney' program speeds kidney transplants

The nephrology department of the ASL AT in Asti has launched the “Hello Kidney” initiative, a Primary Nursing‑based model that coordinates care for patients with end‑stage chronic kidney disease. Since its introduction, the number of kidney transplants rose from four in 2024 to eleven in 2025, with nine already performed in early 2026, indicating a rapid acceleration of the transplant pathway.

The programme creates dedicated appointment slots for examinations and procedures, integrates multiple specialties such as cardiology, general and vascular surgery, pulmonology, dentistry and radiology, and assigns each patient a reference nurse who oversees the entire treatment course. Director Dr. Stefano Maffei says the approach “offers a radical change in life for men and women, even young patients, by shortening the preparation time for transplantation.”