St.Vincent officials announced the opening of a new 8,000 square-foot kidney transplant outpatient center in Portage, Ind.
The average wait time for kidney transplant patients in the Chicago area is approximately six years. Kidney transplant patients at St.Vincent Indianapolis Hospital wait on average 14 months compared to the national and Indiana statewide average of 53 months. However, patients currently waiting for a kidney transplant have the ability to transfer their wait time to St.Vincent.
The new center, which will be staffed with transplant surgeons, a social worker and nurse, will prevent patients from needing to travel to Indianapolis for each appointment prior to surgery.
The new outpatient center will offer kidney transplant candidates in the northwest region of Indiana the opportunity to be prescreened by the St.Vincent Renal Transplant team for a kidney transplant at St.Vincent Indianapolis Hospital. Also, kidney transplant recipients and donor pre-surgery testing can be conducted at this new location.
“We are excited to bring together the strengths of St.Vincent and Cleveland Clinic to improve and expand access for kidney transplant patients in the northwest region of Indiana,” said Dr. Alvin Wee, St.Vincent Renal Transplant program director. “As a faith-based organization, we are honored to bring exemplary family-centered care to northwest Indiana.”
St.Vincent has an established partnership with nationally-renowned Cleveland Clinic for kidney and pancreas transplants. The relationship started more than five years ago in Indianapolis to deliver optimal care to Indiana’s patients with end-stage kidney disease.
In addition to Dr. Wee, the Transplant Program includes Dr. Islam Ghoneim, transplant surgeon, and Dr. Mahendra Govani, medical director. Drs. Wee and Ghoneim are fellowship trained in kidney and pancreatic transplantation, and are employed by Cleveland Clinic.
The St.Vincent Renal Transplant program 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. St.Vincent Indianapolis 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 on the campus of St.Vincent Indianapolis Hospital.
According to the Organ Procurement, Transplantation Network (OPTN), more than 107,476 patients are on the kidney transplant waiting list nationwide. Approximately 1,324 of those kidney patients reside in Indiana.
The St.Vincent Renal Transplant program received approval from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) after demonstrating compliance with all of the rigid standards of excellence required for kidney transplantation.
The new St.Vincent Transplant Outpatient Center is located at 5823 US Highway 6, Suite 31, Portage, IN 46368. Prospective patients can call (219) 764-8020 for more information.
