Three programs at the Miami Transplant Institute at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center have received national recognition for extraordinary performance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The kidney transplant program was one of only ten transplant programs in the United States to be recognized at the Silver level, and one of only six kidney programs to receive the honor. The liver and pancreas programs received Bronze level recognition.
The awards are presented by the Donation and Transplantation Community of Practice, which was established in 2003 by HHS to ensure best practices at all hospitals performing transplants. The awards are based on performance in three categories: graft survival one year after transplant, transplant rate, and mortality rate after being placed on the transplant list.
"This tribute from the federal government honors the unsurpassed surgical expertise and clinical care provided by the spectacular University of Miami/Jackson team at the Miami Transplant Institute," said Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean of the Miller School and CEO of the University of Miami Health System.
"These recognitions are a testament to the incredible, life-saving work done by the physicians and nurses on our transplant teams," said Eneida O. Roldan, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., president and chief executive officer of Jackson Health System. "The transplant program at University of Miami/Jackson is known for giving thousands of patients a second chance at life."
The transplant program is marking its 40th anniversary this year and is widely known for its innovative procedures and high success rates following surgery.
"I am most proud of the people who have made a commitment to excellence in our program," said David Roth, M.D., medical director of the kidney transplant program. "This commitment has allowed us to provide world-class transplant care to the patients of South Florida who are suffering from kidney disease."
"I am extremely proud of our team of dedicated, hard-working and compassionate transplant surgeons, nephrologists, nurse coordinators and support staff who have contributed to the patient care that made this award possible," said George Burke, M.D., professor of surgery and chief of the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Division. "This helps to validate our long-term commitment as an academic institution with a mission that encompasses basic and clinical research, teaching residents, fellows and medical students, and providing excellent patient care."
The mission of the Miami Transplant Institute is to save the lives of all people in need of organ and tissue transplants through excellence in clinical care, research to control organ rejection and develop new sources of transplantable tissues, and education of patients, the public and transplant professionals.
Only one transplant program in the country, the liver program at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, achieved Gold level status. The Gold and Silver level awardees will be recognized during a ceremony on the evening of November 3 at the 6th National Learning Congress for the Donation and Transplantation Community of Practice in Grapevine, Texas.
