Scott & White Medical Center – Temple kidney transplantation program performed a record 153 abdominal organ transplants in one year, surpassing last year's previous record of 87. Since its inception on Jan. 18, 1997, the program has performed more than 800 abdominal organ transplants and 63 heart transplants.
"This accomplishment is a result of our team's commitment to providing exemplary care for the many patients in need of a kidney transplant," said Abbie Dawson, BSN, RN, nurse supervisor of the transplant program at Scott & White - Temple. "Every member of the transplant team has a significant role and, through diligent work and dedication, we will continue to provide quality and compassionate care for future patients who are in need of a life-saving organ."
In 2017, patients from as far as San Antonio and Abilene received transplanted organs at the medical center. In the last few years, the transplant team developed programs to give patients more options to receive a life-saving organ, including a living donor program, paired kidney donor program, and a relatively new patient program, called training for transplant. The training for transplant program gives patients who are seeking a transplant an opportunity to improve their risk factors through carefully planning and care coordination. The program has also helped change the methodology for kidney evaluation to accept more kidneys for transplantation.
"This is just another example of our multi-disciplinary approach to care", said Erin Stanley, director of nursing, renal and pancreas transplant at Scott & White– Temple. "Through innovating the way we provide care, it shows our commitment to provide quality care."
In 2017, Scott & White– Temple transplant patients waited an average of 116 days before transplantation, a decrease from 143 days from the previous year. According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, over 100,000 people are waiting for a life-saving kidney organ transplant in the U.S. The median wait for a kidney transplant can be 3.6 years, but can vary depending upon a patient's health, compatibility, and the availability of organs.
For more information, visit our website Transplant Services at Scott & White – Temple.
Scott & White Medical Center – Temple, part of Baylor Scott & White Health, is a 636-bed, fully accredited not-for-profit hospital and attached multi-specialty clinic in Temple, Texas. The hospital provides a broad spectrum of hospital and clinical services which include heart & vascular, cancer care, transplantation, women's services and neurosciences.
About Baylor Scott & White Health
As the largest not-for-profit health system in the state of Texas, Baylor Scott & White promotes the health and well-being of every individual, family and community it serves. It is committed to making quality care more accessible, convenient and affordable through its integrated delivery network, which includes the Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, the Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance and its leading digital health platform – MyBSWHealth. Through 51 hospitals and more than 1,200 access points, including flagship academic medical centers in Dallas, Fort Worth and Temple, the system offers the full continuum of care, from primary to award-winning specialty care. Founded as a Christian ministry of healing more than a century ago, Baylor Scott & White today serves more than three million Texans. For more information, visit: BSWHealth.com
