Carilion Clinic has revealed its plans to launch an adult kidney transplant program at the Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Virginia. Pending state approval, the program is expected to start in October. This would be the first organ transplant service offered by Carilion and the first in Western Virginia. Currently, patients in the area must travel two hours or more for transplant surgery. The need for kidney transplants in Carilion’s service area is anticipated to grow by more than 25% by 2025. Dr. David Salzberg, a general surgeon and director of metabolic and bariatric surgery at Roanoke Memorial, emphasized the significant impact this program would have on patients’ lives, reducing the burden of dialysis treatments.
Carilion has submitted a letter of intent to the Virginia Department of Health for the required state approval. The review process typically takes about six months. Organ transplant care is a multidisciplinary effort and will involve various specialists at Carilion. Currently, Dr. Salzberg is the only surgeon who will perform the transplants, but the program will hire another surgeon as it progresses. Moreover, Carilion’s plans to establish a kidney transplant program align with its commitment to addressing the pressing healthcare needs of the community. Carilion has also applied for membership with UNOS, a national transplant and procurement allocation organization.
