Three more heart transplant programs in jeopardy

Continuing its ongoing investigation of heart transplant programs, CMS has threatened three more programs with decertification. CMS has given San Antonio, Texas-based Christus Santa Rosa Hospital-Medical Center, Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis and St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital 30 days to submit corrective action plans. Meanwhile, a fourth heart transplant program at the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital has agreed to give up Medicare funding entirely, at least for the time being, following the lead of eight other programs that have made the same decision. 

Among the key issues troubling CMS is the low volume of procedures performed annually by the cited hospitals. In both 2005 and 2006, each of the four performed less than the minimum 12 heart transplants.

To find out more about the warnings:
- read this Los Angeles Times article

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