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Transplant Institute Continues Upward Track
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| Dr. James Eason |
Last year was another record-setting year for UTMG transplant surgeons at the Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute. Doctors performed more liver transplants than ever before and the Institute was cited as a Center of Excellence (COE) by one of the nation’s largest health insurers.
In 2008, the Institute performed 120 pediatric and adult liver transplants, breaking the previous year’s record of 106. It also saw an increase in the number of liver transplantation referrals.
“Once again, this record demonstrates the commitment our team has to serving the patients of Memphis and the Mid-South,” says Medical Director, Dr. James Eason.
The 120 annual transplant mark moves the Institute among the top 10 centers in the nation and makes it the largest in the eight-state southeast region, says Dr. Satheesh Nair, Liver Transplant Medical Director.
“We have excellent post transplant survival and low wait list mortality. These two are important points confirming the quality of care as well as rate of transplant.”
Also key is the Institute’s survival rate, which Dr. Nair says is “better than expected” according to the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, a national database of statistics related to solid organ transplantation.
Most recently, insurer OptumHealth named the Institute a Center of Excellence for adult kidney and liver transplant programs. OptumHealth, previously known as United Resource Network, is currently the Institute’s largest commercial payer and provides health coverage for 58 million people nationwide.
In order to receive the Center of Excellence designation, OptumHealth required an extensive review of each specific program to ensure medical centers provide superior clinical outcomes through evidence-based medicine and best practices.
“Recognition as a COE is also a well-deserved validation of the high quality clinical services which our UTMG physicians have been providing,” says Jill Powelson, Director of Operations. “Being a Center of Excellence will potentially bring even more patients into our transplant program.”
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