New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health has received state approval to open its first pediatric kidney transplant program at local Cohen Children's Medical Center later this year.
Once operational, the pediatric kidney transplant program will be housed within Cohen's Division of Pediatric Nephrology and will include an outpatient center to support seamless care for transplant patients. Existing medical, surgical and nursing teams will work with the new program in providing care to patients.
Cohen's pediatric renal clinicians see more than 1,100 unique patients with kidney disease each year, including approximately 50 children with end-stage kidney disease and 13 dialysis patients, making it one of the largest pediatric nephrology programs in New York.
"Children requiring a kidney transplant are currently referred to other institutions in Manhattan, and return to Cohen post-operatively for long-term management," said Charles Schleien, MD, executive director of Cohen Children's and senior vice president and chair of pediatrics at Northwell Health. "The addition of a transplant program will allow Cohen's patients to receive the full continuum of nephrologic care at the hospital, providing for greater convenience while eliminating the need for extensive travel."
Ernesto Molmenti, MD, will lead the new program. Dr. Molmenti also serves as surgical director of Northwell Health's adult kidney transplant center. Pamela Singer, MD, will serve as medical director of the pediatric program.