Geisinger brings transplant service to three locations;expands program to include liver transplants
DANVILLE- Rural Pennsylvanians can now get advanced transplant services and care within a short distance of their home. Geisinger now provides transplant services at Geisinger Medical Group Scenery Park, State College, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville and Geisinger Wyoming Valley, Wilkes Barre.
“Transplants require numerous pre and post surgical visits,” Geisinger Director of Transplant Services Chintalapati Varma, MD said. “We’re easing the stress of traveling for patients and their families.”
More than 1,000 transplant surgeries have been performed across Geisinger Health System, including 16 liver transplants.
Wait times for transplants from Geisinger are comparable to wait times for transplants from hospitals in big cities, Varma said.
Geisinger specialists began performing kidney transplant surgeries more than 25 years ago. The program has grown to include pancreas transplant, living related donor transplants and most recently, liver transplants.
Geisinger’s new liver transplant program was recently granted reimbursement approval by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. All Geisinger transplant services are now covered by the government’s new conditions for participating in the reimbursement program, meaning Medicare patients will receive full coverage for Geisinger transplant services.
Certified by United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), Geisinger's kidney & pancreas transplant services, including dialysis, are available for both children & adults. Geisinger liver transplant services are for adults only.
Geisinger specialists list transplant patients with the Gift of Life Donor Program, a UNOS-certified organ procurement organization. The Gift of Life oversees procurement and distribution of organs to transplant centers in Pennsylvania.