HOW TO PICK A TRANSPLANT CENTER -
How do you judge quality? - Quality care may be measured in many different ways, but here is a good way to compare health care providers: -
Credentials - Does the doctor and hospital measure up? -
Doctors - Board Certification, or the international equivalent, is a sign that doctors are highly trained in their fields. No separate board certification exists for transplantation. However, physicians and surgeons involved in a transplant program should be board certified in their related specialty. Board certification is generally a good indicator of competence and experience. -
Hospitals - The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations ( JCAHO) is the nationwide authority that surveys hospitals. The JCAHO decides whether a hospital gets, keeps or loses accreditation based on its meeting certain criteria for staffing, equipment and facility safety requirements. Although accreditation is voluntary, most hospitals go through the process. If the hospital that you are considering for transplant is not accredited, it is important to know why. -
Medicare - To be Medicare approved, a transplant center must have documented good patient outcomes and comply with certain standards, including experience, patient selection and patient management. In Medicare's view, the approval process helps ensure a greater liklihood of positive patient outcomes. To be Medicare approved for lung transplant, 10 must be performed annually. For heart, 12 performed annually. -
Experience - Does practice make perfect? In the case of the complex medical and surgical care involved in transplantation, the more experience doctors and hospital have, the better results usually will be. -
Range of Services - Hospitals with a broad range of services can treat more complex medical conditions and better handle complications that may occur. -
Participation in Reserach and Education - Selecting a hospital that combines patient care with research and education offers many advantages, particularly in a specialty such as transplantation which changes rapidly. Those individuals on the staff of such a hospital are exposed to an important interchange of ideas. They are also exposed to the newest treatments and technology. -
Patient Satisfaction - Patient satisfaction surveys allow you to judge quality based on experience of many patients. This provides you with a more objective measure to use. -
Outcome Indicators - The primary outcome indicators reported in transplantation are patient survival rates. What influences survival rates? Some centers perform transplants on much sicker patients than others. This hospital may have an excellent transplant program, but its actual survival rates would probably be lower than those of other hospitals. Summary: For the consumer trying to select a transplant center, the information means that a transplant program should not be evaluated soley on graft and patient survival rates. According to UNOS, "Patients and their families should also consider..the experience training and education of the transplant team and the medical and nursing care available throughout the process, from candidate evaluation through transplantation and follow- up; the cost of the transplant procedure, physician services, hospitalization and medication; how close the transplant center is to home and how easy it is to reach' and the support facilities of the transplant center ( Much of this information comes from Cleveland Clinic Foundation)
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