Memorial Hermann Health System is relaunching its Abdominal Transplant Program almost a year after facing significant scrutiny. The hospital had been sanctioned by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network for violations related to patient safety and quality care, according to Click2Houston.
The hospital announced the reactivation of its transplant program on Thursday, following a voluntary pause in March 2024. In a statement, the hospital said, "We have fully cooperated with all regulatory agencies and swiftly implemented corrective actions after voluntarily pausing the program in March 2024, and we now have support from Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Membership and Professional Standards Committee to do so." The hospital also emphasized that changes to its personnel and governance have been made to prevent future issues, as reported by Click2Houston.
Memorial Hermann Hospital experienced a key change with the appointment of Dr. Mark Hobeika, a transplant surgeon from Houston Methodist Hospital, as the new director of the program and chief of immunology and organ transplantation at UTHealth Houston. Earlier this year, the hospital faced sanctions and increased scrutiny, limiting its influence on transplant policy. In response, Memorial Hermann emphasized its commitment to patient care and readiness to resume transplant surgeries. The Memorial Hermann Health System stated, "The development comes after the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, which runs the national transplant system, leveled a rare sanction against the hospital earlier this year," as detailed by Houston Chronicle.
Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect accurate attribution of quoted statements.
