Latest results from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients place UF Health’s adult kidney transplant program first in the nation for one-year graft survival and its adult liver transplant program among the country’s top three.
New data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients once again place UF Health’s abdominal transplant programs among the best in the nation. The adult kidney transplant program has joined the liver transplant program as a leader in Florida and across the United States, achieving the nation’s highest one-year graft survival rate.
The UF Health lung transplant program also earned high marks, with rankings showing the program continuing to meet or exceed national benchmarks across key measures, including short- and long-term post-transplant survival, waitlist survival and timely access to transplantation
Released twice annually, SRTR reports provide patients and health care professionals with important information about transplant center performance. Key measures include patient and graft survival after transplantation, mortality while awaiting transplantation and the amount of time patients spend on the waiting list.
UF Health abdominal transplant program leads the nation
According to the latest reports, UF Health’s adult kidney transplant program ranked first among more than 200 programs nationwide for one-year graft survival, one of the most important measures used to evaluate the quality and consistency of transplant care.
The program also demonstrated strong performance in other critical areas, including time spent on the transplant waiting list and mortality before transplantation, exceeding both regional and national benchmarks.
Georgios Vrakas, M.D., M.Sc., Ph.D., director of UF Health’s adult and pediatric kidney and pancreas transplant programs, said the achievement reflects the vision, dedication and exceptional collaboration of the entire UF Health kidney transplant team.
“As leaders in kidney transplantation, we remain committed to advancing the field, expanding access to transplantation without compromising excellence and setting new standards for patient-centered care,” Vrakas said.
UF Health’s adult liver transplant program also continued its record of exceptional performance, ranking among the nation’s top three programs for one-year graft survival for more than five consecutive years.
“These results once again demonstrate that UF Health is a premier destination for patients who need liver transplantation in Florida and throughout the region,” said Thiago Beduschi, M.D., director of the UF Health Abdominal Transplant Center. “Every day, our team renews its commitment to providing the highest-quality care, improving quality of life and achieving the best possible outcomes for our patients.”
Beduschi emphasized that every transplant and every successful outcome begins with the generosity of organ donors and their families.
“We honor our donors and their families every day,” he said. “Their generosity and courage make every transplant, every milestone and every second chance possible.”
UF Health lung transplant program setting standards
Mindaugas Rackauskas, M.D., Ph.D., chief of thoracic surgery at the University of Florida College of Medicine and director of the adult and pediatric lung transplant program at UF Health, praised a redesigned interface on the SRTR website which makes it easier for patients to review results from their preferred transplant center and compare performance with nearby programs.
“Deciding where to have a lung transplant may well be the most important decision of a patient’s life,” Rackauskas said. “We’re glad that patients have easier access to the data, and we’re proud that the data once again reflect UF Health’s status as a premier destination for lung transplantation.”
Amir Emtiazjoo, M.D., M.Sc., section chief and medical director of the lung transplant program, said UF Health’s commitment to patients goes far beyond the operating room.
“Patients place a tremendous amount of trust in us when they choose UF Health,” he said. “We honor that trust by staying with our patients every step of the way, from their first conversations with transplant coordinators to their postoperative recovery. That culture of care is an important part of what makes our center successful.”