On Aug. 24, St.Vincentcelebrated transplanting 150 kidneys in Indianapolis in partnership with nationally-renowned Cleveland Clinic. St.Vincent entered into a partnership with Cleveland Clinic more than three years ago to ensure the highest level of care to Indiana’s patients with end-stage kidney disease.
Since 2009, 41 percent of patients on a waiting list for a kidney transplant received one within six months at St.Vincent, compared with the national average of 13 percent.
The Renal Transplant Program is led by Dr. Alvin Wee, program director; Dr. Islam Ghoneim, transplant surgeon; and Dr. MahendraGovani, medical director. Dr. Wee and Dr. Ghoneim are fellowship trained in kidney and pancreatic transplantation, and are employed by Cleveland Clinic.
The St.Vincent Renal Transplant program not only provides comprehensive, state-of-the art renal transplant services, but in keeping with the mission and vision of the institution also offers individualized patient and family care. The hospital has a dedicated 11-bed inpatient unit for renal transplant patients, and sees outpatients at the Transplant Clinic at 8333 Naab Road in Indianapolis.
According to the Indiana Organ Procurement Organization, more than 98,000 patients are on the kidney transplant waiting list. Approximately 1,231 of those kidney patients are Hoosiers.
The St.Vincent Renal Transplant program received approval from the United Network for Organ Sharing after demonstrating compliance with all standards of excellence required for kidney transplantation.