Healthcare Insights

Top hospitals performing the most lung transplants

A lung transplant is a major surgical procedure where one or both diseased lungs are replaced with healthy lungs from a donor. It's a complex procedure typically reserved for patients with end-stage lung disease who haven't responded to other treatments.

Hospitals that perform a high volume of lung transplants often have a wealth of expertise in performing lung transplant procedures, dedicated transplant teams, and access to advanced technology, which can lead to higher success rates.

Using Definitive Healthcare’s Atlas All-Payor Claims product, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 hospitals that performed the most lung transplants in 2023. This data can empower your business to understand the landscape of lung transplantation, identify potential growth opportunities, and focus your resources on hospitals with a proven track record of lung transplants.

Top lung transplant hospitals by procedure volume

Rank Definitive IDHospitalCityState% of lung transplants in the U.S.Explore dataset
13120Cleveland Clinic Main CampusClevelandOH9.5%Explore
2370Helford Clinical Research Hospital DuarteCA7.8%Explore
3588Stanford Hospital StanfordCA7.5%Explore
42843Tisch HospitalNew YorkNY5.7%Explore
53923William P Clements Jr University Hospital DallasTX4.5%Explore
61365IU Health Methodist HospitalIndianapolisIN4.3%Explore
72191Mayo Clinic Hospital - Saint Marys CampusRochesterMN3.8%Explore
82096University HospitalAnn ArborMI3.6%Explore
92035Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital Grand RapidsMI3.5%Explore
10809Tampa General HospitalTampaFL3.2%Explore

Fig. 1. Data is from the Definitive Healthcare Atlas All-Payor Claims product for the calendar year 2023. Claims data is sourced from multiple medical claims clearinghouses in the United States and updated monthly. Accessed April 2024.

Which hospitals do the most lung transplants?

In 2023, Cleveland Clinic Main Campus performed the highest percentage of lung transplants in the U.S., accounting for 9.5% of transplants analyzed. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, the Cleveland Clinic Main Campus is one of the largest hospitals in the country by bed count and also had the highest percentage of total patients and outpatient claims across all U.S. hospitals in 2022. It also performs a high percentage of liver transplants and kidney transplants.

The hospital that performed the second highest number of lung transplants by percentage is Helford Clinical Research Hospital, which performed 7.8% of lung transplants in 2023 based on our data. Located in Duarte, California, this facility is one of the top hospitals in California by net patient revenue and a top Commission on Cancer (COC) Centers by highest case mix index.

Rounding out the top three is Stanford Hospital, accounting for 7.5% of U.S. lung transplants in 2023. Affiliated with Stanford University, the hospital is recognized for its academic excellence and pioneering research, which likely contributes to its notable contribution to lung replacement. Stanford Hospital is also a top hospital in California based on net patient revenue, number of staffed beds, and patient discharges. The hospital also performs a high volume of heart transplants.

What are lung transplant centers?

Lung transplant centers are specialized medical facilities equipped with the expertise, infrastructure, and resources necessary to perform lung transplant surgeries and provide comprehensive care for patients before, during, and after the procedure. These hospitals and centers typically consist of multidisciplinary teams comprising transplant surgeons, pulmonologists, transplant coordinators, nurses, respiratory therapists, social workers, and other healthcare professionals who collaborate to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients undergoing lung transplantation.

The primary functions of lung transplant centers include:

Evaluation and selection

Lung transplant centers assess candidates for transplantation to determine their suitability for the procedure based on medical history, severity of lung disease, overall health status, and other factors. This evaluation process involves extensive testing and consultations to identify individuals who are most likely to benefit from transplantation and have the best chances of successful outcomes.

Transplant surgery

Lung transplant hospitals and centers perform lung replacement surgical procedures, which involves removing the diseased lungs from the recipient and replacing them with healthy donor lungs. This complex procedure requires highly skilled surgeons and specialized facilities, such as operating rooms equipped with advanced surgical equipment and technology.

Post-transplant care

After the transplant surgery, lung transplant centers provide comprehensive post-operative care and ongoing monitoring to ensure the health and well-being of transplant recipients. This includes managing immunosuppressive medications to prevent organ rejection, monitoring for complications, and providing support services to help patients adapt to life with a new lung.

Follow-up and long-term management

Lung transplant centers maintain long-term relationships with transplant recipients, providing follow-up care, regular monitoring, and support to address any issues or concerns that may arise after transplantation. This ongoing management is essential for optimizing outcomes and promoting the long-term success of the transplant.

Overall, lung transplant centers play a critical role in the care of patients with end-stage lung disease by offering the opportunity for life-saving transplantation and providing comprehensive, specialized care throughout the transplant journey.

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