The WVU Heart and Vascular Institute, part of Morgantown, W.Va.-based WVU Medicine, is adding a heart transplant program, WVNews reports.
The institute filed a letter of intent with the West Virginia Health Care Authority for the heart transplant services program Aug. 10, and a certificate of need was filed 10 days later.
Vinay Badhwar, MD, executive chair of the institute said he expects the first transplant to take place in about a year.
About 22 West Virginia patients are on the heart transplant waiting list. Patients on that list typically must travel to UPMC in Pittsburgh or Cleveland Clinic for their procedures.