UPMC's division in Central Pennsylvania is actively working to transfer patients to its kidney and liver transplant programs after Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey (Pa.) Medical Center announced it is ending those transplant services.
Patients who had a donor and were previously scheduled for a kidney or liver transplant at Penn State Health will likely be able to have their procedure scheduled at UPMC within a month, Kim Barnett, program administrator for transplant services at UPMC Harrisburg, told the Central Penn Business Journal. UPMC Central Pennsylvania performs kidney transplants in Harrisburg. For liver transplant, UPMC has consultation clinics in Harrisburg, York and Chambersburg, while the procedures are performed in Pittsburgh.
"We are arranging for virtual and in-person education sessions and opening more evaluation appointments," Ms. Barnett told the news outlet. "We will screen all the referrals and prioritize patients."
On May 28, Penn State Health said it is discontinuing kidney and liver transplant programs — a decision that came less than two weeks after it voluntarily paused kidney transplants while undergoing a review from the United Network of Organ Sharing. It first paused liver transplants in late April, citing concerns surrounding clinical processes and documentation.