Confronting the transplant crisis: HCA Healthcare leads nation in live donor kidney transplants

Living donation has revolutionized kidney transplantation, sparing patients a long and uncertain wait on the transplant list.  According to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), HCA Healthcare led the nation in 2019, performing more live donor kidney transplants than any other hospital system in the country.

HCA Healthcare facilities performed a total of 418 live donor kidney transplants in 2019 – a 12% increase of lives saved from the previous year. Recognizing national transplant wait list trends reflected high demand and low supply, our teams worked vigilantly to maximize the number of transplant options available to our patients.

“This is an amazing accomplishment made possible through our collaborative network, dedicated doctors and selfless donors,” explains Dr. Adam Bingaman, national medical director of solid organ transplant at HCA Healthcare and director of abdominal transplant at Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital. “There is such a need for live kidney donor transplants. We are proud to play a part in serving that need and giving people a healthier tomorrow.”

HCA Healthcare’s Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital is home to the largest live donor kidney transplant center in the world. This program accounts for approximately half of HCA Healthcare’s living donor kidney transplants. In 2019, the San Antonio, Texas-based hospital completed 231 live donor kidney transplants and set a record for the most performed at a single center.

Enhanced transplant efficiencies, more lives saved

Racing to save more lives, HCA Healthcare’s transplant programs collaborate on best practices and glean insights from across our organization. We’re continually identifying challenges and opportunities to improve patient outcomes at scale.

In a commitment to improve the efficiency of their live donor program, Medical City Dallas has rapidly grown into one of the largest transplant centers in the HCA Healthcare network. Under the guidance of Dr. Matt Mulloy, surgical director of abdominal transplant surgery, the program has seen a 310% increase in transplants performed in just three years. This success can be attributed in large part to growing a team specifically skilled in quality patient care, community engagement and patient education.

“I take great pride in the number of transplants we do, because that translates into the number of lives saved,” says Dr. Matt Mulloy, surgical director of abdominal transplant surgery at Medical City Dallas. “Living donor transplants are really an incredible thing. While we work hard to provide superior patient-centered care throughout the exchange process, the donors are the real heroes.”

Consider becoming a living kidney donor

With the help of a skilled and passionate team of diverse specialists, living donation is a safe and beautiful process. Donating a kidney is not without risks, but for many, the risks are minute compared to the lifesaving benefit the recipient receives.

If you are interested in finding out more information about becoming a living donor, visit United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).

HCA Healthcare uses the most advanced technology and medical innovations to provide individualized ongoing care for kidney transplant patients. Learn more about the live kidney donor process below:

HCA Healthcare specializes in kidney transplants, living kidney donation and paired exchange kidney transplants at:

• Texas Transplant Institute at Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital
• Medical City Dallas Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Programs
• Medical City Fort Worth Kidney Transplant Institute
• The Kidney Transplant Center at St. David’s North Austin Medical Center
• Kidney & Liver Transplant Center at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center
• The Transplant Institute at Largo Medical Center
• Transplant Institute at Research Medical Center
• Virginia Transplant Center at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital
• The Kidney Transplant Center at Las Palmas Medical Center
• Tulane Transplant Institute

Liver transplants give pediatric patients a second chance at life

For pediatric liver surgeon Dr. Thomas Heffron, his calling is simple. “I love pediatric work,” says the Denver, Colo. physician. His bold care philosophy is to “enable every pediatric patient with end stage liver disease a cure with liver transplant.”

Heffron heads up Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children’s pediatric liver transplant program. The highly specialized program provides patients across the country with access to complex hepatobiliary surgery as well as transplants. Having transplanted both the youngest and smallest child in the world, Dr. Heffron is internationally recognized for his clinical expertise.

Completing over 600 pediatric liver transplants throughout his career, including over 100 living donor transplants, Dr. Heffron’s affinity for his work shines through with every patient interaction. Just ask Carina Jimenez.

At age 2, Carina was diagnosed with biliary atresia – a condition in which defects of the bile ducts prevent bile in the liver from draining properly. The condition leads to severe liver damage and is life threatening. But Carina is living a full, health life thanks to a liver transplant performed by Dr. Heffron almost 20 years ago.

“I’ve never felt my life has been impacted at all by my liver issues,” says Carina, now a 22-year-old college student. “I’ve always been active in sports and fitness. I’ve run two half-marathons, am studying to become a speech/language pathologist and work two jobs. I don’t think there’s anything I can’t do because of my condition.”

Carina received follow-up care and treatment from Dr. Heffron throughout her childhood and continues to take anti-rejection medication daily.

“I understand that liver transplant can be scary,” says Carina. “But families need to know that children can fully bounce back from transplant surgery.”

To Carina and all of our brave transplant patients, thank you for allowing us to be a part of our care – and your future.