Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health will resume heart transplants this fall and expand the size of its program after voluntarily suspending the procedures for seven months, according to a report from Philly.com.
While most hospitals that suspend heart transplants do so because of poor performance, Jefferson decided to pause its program in February while it searched for new leadership. At the time, the health system said the suspension was necessary while Jefferson underwent a "significant redesign" and expansion of the heart transplant program.
The health system said Andrew J. Boyle, MD, a cardiologist who joined Jefferson in June from the Piedmont Heart Institute in Atlanta, will serve as medical director of heart failure. Howard Todd Massey, MD, will serve as director of surgical treatment of advanced heart failure.
The expansion of the program will be supported by the addition of "shared-care sites" at other hospitals that agree to refer transplant candidates to Jefferson, according to the report. Jefferson will seek shared-care arrangements with Newark, Del.-based Christiana Care, Paoli, Pa.-based Main Line Health and Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger Health System, according to the report.