Physicians
Transplant Physicians
Our dedicated team of transplant physicians specializes in kidney, pancreas and bone marrow transplants. Our team includes transplant nephrologists for kidney and pancreas patients and hematology specialists for bone marrow transplant patients.
Click on a doctor's name below to view a detailed profile or watch an introductory video.
Bone Marrow Transplant Physicians
Midlevel Providers
Transplant Midlevel Providers
The Avera Transplant Institute's Midlevel Providers bring expertise in specialty care. The BMT Certified Nurse Practitioners are tenured in oncology practice and provide depth and support to the physician transplant team. The SOT Physician's Assistant is involved in all aspects of patient care, both outpatient and inpatient. He completes minor surgery and assists in the operating room for vascular surgery, kidney and pancreas transplantation.
Click on a name below to view a detailed profile.
Ancillary Team
Other physicians and transplant experts who work with the Transplant Institute include:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Cardiology
- Infectious Disease
- Pathology
- Radiology, interventional radiology, radiation oncology
- Endocrinology
Nursing
Transplant Coordinators - Bone Marrow Transplant
Our coordinators arrange for and follows patients' transplant care in concert with the patient and multi-disciplinary team members throughout all transplant phases across a continuum of care including various inpatient and outpatient settings.
Once referred to transplant, the Coordinator meets with the transplant physicians and patient to develop the transplant calendar of events, delineating care from transplant evaluation of the recipient, search and evaluation of donors (if applicable), to pre-transplant mobilization and cell collection, to transplant infusion, to post-transplant follow-up.
- Nicole Nelson, RN
- Sarah Schuster, RN
- Patti Swenson, RN
- Bethannie Vermeer, RN
Transplant Coordinators - Solid Organ Transplant
Once referred to transplant, the Coordinator is available to each transplant patient every step of the way from initial referral from the patient, physician, or dialysis unit through post-transplant follow-up. Coordinators also assist in initial contact with the patient, transplant evaluation, evaluation of potential living donors, coordinating with the national organ transplant wait-list, ongoing wait-list health status monitoring, and transplant surgery.
- Erin Arends, RN
- Jenna Bunde, RN
- Amy Kearns, RN
- Brenda Larsgaard, RN (pictured)
- Holly Perli, RN
- Rebecca Wahle, RN (pictured)
Transplant Outpatient Nurses
Nurses in the outpatient setting assist patients with Hematology and Nephrology physician exam visits, medication transfusion, and dialysis as needed for the patient's underlying disease leading up to, and following transplant.
Transplant Inpatient Nurses
Nurses with specialized preparation in transplantation care for the transplant recipients and donors day in and day out throughout the hospital transplant stay. These nurses also provide care to transplant patients for any hospital stays needed before transplantation for their underlying disease management, or after transplantation for monitoring or adjustment of post-transplant care.
Inpatient nurses are also specialized in apheresis procedures to collect cells and provide therapy for transplant patients. Inpatient nurses have specialty certifications in transplantation and oncology.
- Karen Miller, RN, OCN – Manager, Transplant Oncology Services
- Heather Hubble, RN - Supervisor, Transplant Oncology Services
- Lola Twedt, RN, OCN – Clinical Nurse Educator BMT
- Kris Carlson, RN - Apheresis Coordinator (not pictured)
