Emory Kidney Transplant Program Ranked Sixth in the Nation
When you’re choosing a kidney transplant program, it’s important to look at a number of different factors – from national rankings and compatibility to comfort level with the care team that will help you feel like yourself again.
The Emory Kidney Transplant Program is proud to have been ranked sixth by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), based on adult kidney transplant volume in 2018. But, to us, these rankings are about more than numbers or recognition — it’s about demonstrating our commitment to providing the most innovative and highest quality care to patients right here in Georgia.
Every day, we are committed to working closely with patients, families, donors, and providers across all medical disciplines to ensure you receive the best care possible.
Experience to Guide You to the Care You Need
Emory performed Georgia’s first kidney transplant in 1996 and continues to deliver comprehensive care.
In 2018, our kidney transplant program performed 281 adult kidney transplants and 13 simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplants. This number of surgeries placed the Emory Kidney Transplant Program among the top six centers in the nation for adult kidney transplants.
Every surgery our surgeons perform and every individual our team sees brings a deeper understanding and knowledge of the unique medical needs of kidney and pancreas transplant patients. We bring this experience to all of our patients.
An Unwavering Focus on Quality Outcomes
Our kidney transplant program’s guiding principle is straightforward: To provide the best possible care to every patient we see, every day.
We measure our success in a number of different ways – from wait time to surgery to the number of surgeries performed. We also measure our success through patient and graft survival rates. The most recent rankings from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) underscore the experience we offer. Our risk-adjusted one-year patient and graft survival rates for kidney transplants are above the national average:
- One-Year Patient Survival at Emory: 97.69 percent
- One-year patient survival average nationwide: 97.68 percent
- One-Year Graft Survival at Emory: 95.94 percent
- One-year graft survival average nationwide: 95.81 percent
SRTR is an independent, third-party organization that evaluates and ranks organ transplant programs across the United States. It looks at many different data sets to understand the experience and quality of care transplant programs deliver to patients.
Living Donor Program Meets Patients’ Needs
Living donor programs help reduce the time spent on waiting lists by taking a small portion of a living donor’s kidney and transplanting it in individuals with kidney failure. Donors can be friends, relatives or even strangers.
Our Paired Donor Exchange Program offers even more opportunities for kidney transplant patients. In paired donation, a family member who is not a match for their loved one can donate a kidney to someone on the waiting list. In return, the donor’s loved one receives a kidney from a different donor with a compatible blood type.
Emory’s Kidney Transplant Program performed 101 living donor kidney transplants in 2018 alone, ranking us as the number five paired donor program in the nation through the National Kidney Registry (NKR).
Simply put: we’re able to better meet the needs of our patients with a robust and active living donor program.
A Collaborative Approach to Care
At the heart of our approach is collaboration across all specialties at Emory and with your referring provider. Here, your care team works closely together to discuss treatment options that may be right for you — and, together, create a plan that helps you feel your best.
About Emory Kidney Transplant Program
The Emory Kidney Transplant Program ranks as one of the most prestigious transplant programs in the country. Emory’s team of specialists is highly skilled in the care of kidney transplant patients and living donors.
And as a top kidney transplant center in the nation, we’re at the forefront of clinical excellence and in pioneering new transplant therapies. We offer cutting-edge technology while delivering unsurpassed, comprehensive care to our patients.
Learn more about the care and innovation available through the Emory Kidney Transplant Program.
