DES MOINES — MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center announced it will voluntarily close its kidney and pancreas transplant program on October 1, affecting four patients.
“The decision to end MercyOne Des Moines’ transplant program was extremely difficult. We are proud of the contributions made by our colleagues and transplant care surgeons to the field of transplant medicine, and of the excellent care provided to our patients,” said MercyOne Central Iowa President Karl Keeler. “We feel this decision is in the best interest of our community, as central Iowans will still have access to transplant medicine, and this allows us to consider areas in which to invest where community needs are not being met.”
Iowa Methodist has agreed to look at MercyOne Des Moines’ actively listed patients for placement. All patients on the MercyOne Des Moines wait list have been placed or given information to make their care decisions.
MercyOne Des Moines says it is currently notifying patients of the planned voluntary closure of the transplant program. They’re also letting the following know: referring physicians, the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA), which serves as the State of Iowa survey agency for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS), Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network and Iowa Donor Network (IDN).
The hospital says transplant recipients whose care is currently at MercyOne Des Moines, a transplant coordinator will assist them in transitioning their care to another transplant center or nephrologist of their choosing. MercyOne Des Moines will also work cooperatively with other transplant centers to provide any records pertaining to their current care.
Despite the program closure, MercyOne Des Moines says it will continue to have an important role in helping with organ donation. IDN will continue to send teams of surgeons to MercyOne Des Moines and West Des Moines Medical Centers for organ, tissue, and eye donation services, as well as coordinate trips by other U.S. transplant programs to our medical centers for organ recovery.
The hospital says it is working with impacted providers and colleagues about employment options.
