PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Temple University Hospital is partnering with New Jersey-based Capital Health to serve patients with severe liver disease.
Patients in New Jersey are the big winners in this collaboration, says Michael Young, president and CEO of Temple University Health System. With the two health care providers teaming up, patients can get a liver transplant in Philadelphia and stay at home in New Jersey for the diagnostic testing and care they need before and after surgery.
"We get the patients set up for the transplant, but the pre- and post-transplant care is given in the community setting," Young said. "So, patients don't have to drive. It gives the local doctors control of their patients, and it's worked beautifully."
He expects this partnership to help nearly 10 patients a year.
"We have a high-volume transplant program, and like most medical procedures, the more you do, the better you keep your skill set. So, it's good for us, because it broadens our access to more patients, which should turn into more transplants," he said.
Young says Temple Health is and has been a leader in transplantation for lungs, hearts and livers. Capital Health has hospitals in Hamilton, Pennington and Trenton.