Jan. 25, 2010, (Wynnewood, Pa.) - As a mark of quality, experience, and excellence in delivery of care, Lankenau Hospital is now officially certified as a Kidney Transplant Program by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees transplantation programs nationwide. This certification will greatly expand access to life-saving kidney transplants for many patients in the community who are Medicare beneficiaries and suffering from end-stage kidney (renal) failure.
"The certification demonstrates that when put to the test, Lankenau's program successfully meets the expectations and high standards of CMS and that Medicare will cover applicable expenses for those individuals who qualify," said James Lim, MD, program director kidney transplant, Lankenau Hospital. "This is truly a testament to the expertise of our transplant team that works closely with patients and their families to provide the best available care."
To earn certification, Lankenau Hospital underwent an onsite evaluation and an in-depth review of the program's clinical experience, patient selection, management, volumes and outcomes, and adherence to the highest standards of safety.
"Lankenau's kidney transplant program is a huge resource for our community and offers a very personal level of care that makes a real difference in the lives of our patients," said Robert Benz, MD, vice president, medical affairs, Lankenau Hospital, and chief of nephrology, Main Line Health System.
According to the National Kidney Foundation, 26 million American adults have chronic kidney disease and more than 485,000 people are being treated for kidney failure. Of these, more than 341,000 are on dialysis while more than 140,000 have a functioning kidney transplant. Over the last five years, the number of new patients with kidney failure has averaged more than 90,000 annually. Almost half of the patients with end-stage renal disease only have Medicare coverage.
Because of a shortage of donor kidneys, each year only a small percentage of people who need a transplant actually receive a kidney.
"The wait for a donor kidney can take years," stated Dr. Lim. "However, with a living donor the wait can diminish to a matter of months."
Lankenau's Kidney Transplant Program is also accredited by the Department of Health and the Joint Commission.
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About Lankenau Hospital
Lankenau Hospital, a member of Main Line Health, in suburban Philadelphia is one of the nation's leading heart centers. The 353-bed teaching hospital is located on a campus that also includes the Lankenau Institute of Medical Research, a freestanding biomedical research institute that specializes in cardiac and cancer research. Lankenau Hospital's nurses are MAGNET®-certified, and the hospital has consistently been recognized as a Top 100 Cardiovascular Hospital by Thomson Reuters. Additionally, Lankenau has been named as a HealthGrades America's 50 Best HospitalTM for 2009, placing it in the top one percent of all hospitals in the nation for quality outcomes.
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