VALHALLA, N.Y. (October 4, 2017) – As a regional leader in cardiac care, the heart transplantation program at Westchester Medical Center, the flagship of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth), recently surpassed a key milestone of more than 200 life-changing heart transplant procedures.
Part of WMCHealth's Heart and Vascular Institute, the heart transplantation program is the only one of its kind in the Hudson Valley and has grown significantly in recent years to provide the best possible outcomes for patients, with higher survival rates and shorter wait times than the national average.
"On average, patients cared for by Westchester Medical Center's heart transplant program receive transplants faster than patients at other hospitals and are often patients whose acuity level, age, or need for a multi-organ transplant precluded them from receiving heart transplants elsewhere," said Alan Gass, MD, Medical Director of Heart Failure, Heart Transplantation and Mechanical and Circulatory Support at Westchester Medical Center.
Westchester Medical Center's patient survival rates both one year and three years after transplant are above the national average, according to the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation data from 2016, and median wait times are shorter than other area hospitals.
The program began in 2001, performing the majority of its adult heart transplant procedures in recent years – more than 130 procedures in a six-year period. The growth of the program is due to the vast experience of the hospital's medical and surgical cardiac care teams and the high quality care for which the medical center is recognized.
"Westchester Medical Center is in the top 10 percent of transplant centers across the United States," said David Spielvogel, MD, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Surgical Director for Heart Transplantation at Westchester Medical Center. "The number of patients who receive heart transplants at Westchester Medical Center continues to grow each year due to the comprehensive care that we provide and the convenience for patients to have their transplant surgery and follow-up care performed close to home."
WMCHealth Heart and Vascular Institute's comprehensive heart transplantation program uses a team approach to care for patients, combining the clinical expertise and compassionate care of surgeons, cardiologists, transplant coordinators, social workers, anesthesiologists, psychiatrists, nutritionists and other staff members to care for all aspects of the patient's well-being.
WMCHealth's Heart and Vascular Institute is a multi-specialty cardiac and vascular services practice dedicated to providing comprehensive, high-quality care to the residents of the Hudson Valley. The Institute brings together many of the nation's best physicians in cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, cardiothoracic surgery and pediatric cardiovascular services practicing in the state-of-the-art facilities of Westchester Medical Center.
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