For Immediate Release:
November 3, 1999

CONTACT: David Ong
(916) 734-9040

UC DAVIS LUNG TRANSPLANT PROGRAM CERTIFIED FOR MEDICARE

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) - The UC Davis Lung Transplant Program has received approval from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) as a Medicare-approved center for lung transplantation. UC Davis joins an exclusive group of 32 Medicare-certified lung transplant centers in the United States.

The designation recognizes the UC Davis Lung Transplant Program as a center of excellence for lung transplants. It also means that Sacramento-area Medicare beneficiaries in need of lung transplants may receive them at UC Davis Medical Center instead of having to travel outside of the area for the operation.

"This is an important and defining development for residents of Sacramento and Northern California," says Timothy E. Albertson, medical director of the UC Davis Transplant Center. "This crucial certification means that patients with advanced stage lung disease who are potential candidates for lung transplantation will have access to high-quality transplant care locally."

To receive Medicare approval, a transplant center must submit a detailed application to HCFA. In making its decision, HCFA consults with third-party experts outside of the government. Two of the criteria required for approval are a 69 percent first-year survival rate and a 62 percent second-year survival rate.

Roblee Allen, co-director of the lung transplant program and transplant pulmonologist, says, "The decision to grant Medicare approval to our program was based on the recommendations made by the independent experts and the fact that UC Davis met or exceeded all of the necessary criteria. We are proud of the team's performance, and we look forward to extending our care to Medicare beneficiaries."

David Follette, co-director of the lung transplant program and transplant surgeon, says, "Our lung transplant team was formulated six years ago, following up-to-date specialized training with lung transplant experts at the University of Pennsylvania. Along with Dr. Allen and Andrea Hoso, lung transplant coordinator, we initiated the first lung transplant program in inland Northern California. Since our first transplant five years ago, we have performed a total of 55 lung transplants. This HCFA certification is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire lung transplant team."

The UC Davis Health System is now fully Medicare-certified for its solid organ transplant programs: kidney, kidney/pancreas, liver and lung.

Approximately 900 patients will receive lung transplants in the United States this year. Another 500 will die while waiting for donor lungs, while 3,347 people will remain on the waiting list waiting for a suitable organ.

UC Davis Health System is an organization of the UC Davis School of Medicine, its affiliated teaching hospital, UC Davis Medical Center, and its physician group, UC Davis Medical Group.

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