Which statement best reflects post-discharge follow-up for a kidney transplant recipient?

• A. The patient should rely on primary care physician only.
• B. The patient should stop follow-up after discharge.
• C. The patient should continue to follow up with the transplant department and nephrologist.
• D. The patient should follow up only if they feel unwell.

Answer: (C)

Ongoing, specialized follow-up is essential after a kidney transplant because the graft and the patient remain at risk for rejection, infection, and drug-related toxicity from immunosuppressants. The transplant team, including the nephrologist, closely monitors kidney function, drug levels, blood pressure, and metabolic effects, and they adjust immunosuppressive therapy to balance preventing rejection with minimizing infection risk. Regular visits also enable early detection of complications and timely intervention, which greatly improves graft survival. Relying on a primary care physician alone or stopping follow-up after discharge can miss subtle problems that are not yet felt by the patient, so continuing to follow up with the transplant department and nephrologist is the best plan.