In Southwest and Southside Virginia, residents face a greater risk of developing kidney disease than in other parts of the state. But navigating access to care has become a contentious issue. Carilion Clinic is aiming to establish a kidney transplant center in Roanoke, a move facing resistance from the University of Virginia Health System, which argues it could jeopardize its transplant program in Charlottesville. As state regulators prepare to make a decision, the implications for patients in this underserved region hang in the balance.
Host Dutchie Jessee joins healthcare reporter Emily Schabacker to unpack the dispute, explore the policy dynamics behind it, and examine what’s truly at stake for those awaiting life-saving kidney transplants.
