More Services
Transplant
Heart
Baptist Health Transplant Institute
Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Closed on recognized holidays).
501-202-1500, option 2
501-202-1133 fax
800-768-8003 toll-free
** We've transplanted over 170 hearts! **
The Baptist Health Heart Transplant Program began in 1989.
Over 170 transplants have been performed during the last 20 years.
Baptist Health received its Medicare Certification to perform transplants
on Medicare Beneificiaries in January, 2005. We currently perform
an average of one transplant a month. Baptist Health is
the only active adult heart transplant
program in the state.
YOUR TRANSPLANT TEAM DIRECTORY . . .
VAD (Ventricular Assist Device) Coordinator: Kristie Reed - (501)202-2635
Heart Transplant Coordinator: Nancy Hastings - (501)202-1312
Heart Transplant Coordinator: Stephanie Chapman - (501)202-2259
Transplant Social Worker: Linda Elliott - (501)202-4456
Transplant Assistant: Brandi Lewellen - (501)202-1391
Dietician: Robin Reynolds - (501)202-7371
Financial Coordinator: Melissa Wyles - (501)202-5726
Surgical Director: Dr. John Ransom
Medical Director: Dr. Steve Hutchins
Transplant Surgeon: Dr. Derlis Martino
Transplant Cardiologist: Dr. Jim Kizziar
Procurement Surgeon: Dr. Mike Nolan
Procurement Surgeon: Dr. Tom Rayburn
Vice President: Erin Propst
The Baptist Health Heart Transplant Program is surgically
led by Dr. John Ransom and medically directed by Dr. Steve Hutchins.
Both physicians have been with the program since its inception and
have worked hard to provide a high quality transplant program for
all Arkansans. Currently, Drs. Ransom and Hutchins and their staff
monitor and care for hundreds of pre and post heart transplant patients. All
the transplant staff members involved with the program are dedicated
to making this a positive experience for the referring physicians
and their patients. Our staff includes physicians, transplant coordinators,
transplant social workers, a transplant financial counselor, a dietician
and other support staff that are invaluable to our success.
SURVIVAL RATES . . .
Of those patients transplanted at Baptist Health between January
1, 2005 until June 30, 2007, 100% of patients were alive one
month post transplant, and 82% were alive 12 months
post transplant. In 2008, those patients listed as a status 1B
were transplanted with a median waiting time of approximately four
months. This waiting time was dramatically reduced for those critical
patients listed as a Status 1A to a median waiting
time of 16 days.
VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICE PROGRAM. . .
In addition to the heart transplant program, Baptist Health offers
the only adult Ventricular Assist Device Program with over 4,400
patient supported days (over 12 years). One patient was supported
for over two years while awaiting heart transplant.
Baptist Health currently offers five different ventricular assist
devices (VADs) to meet a patient’s unique needs. The HeartMate II Left Ventricular Assist System (LVAS)
is intended for use as a bridge to
heart transplantation in heart transplant candidates at risk for
imminent death for nonreversible left ventricular failure. The HeartMate
II LVAS is also indicated for use as Destination Therapy in patients
with NYHA class IV end-stage left ventricular failure who have received
optimal medical therapy for at least 60 of the last 90 days, have
a life expectancy of less than two years, and are not a candidate for heart transplantation. Baptist Health is currently seeking certification to offer the device as destination therapy.
RELATED LINKS . . .
ARORA (Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency) www.arora.org
UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing) www.unos.org
NKFA (National Kidney Foundation of Arkansas) www.kidney.org
Transplant Living www.transplantliving.org
