Announcing Emory’s Heart and Lung Transplantation, Mechanical Circulatory Support and ECMO Program

Since the arrival of Mani Daneshmand, MD to Emory Healthcare from Duke University Medical Center, transformational changes have been made to Emory’s heart and lung failure and transplant programs. Heart and lung transplant, mechanical circulatory and EMCO programs have been consolidated into one comprehensive program to improve care coordination for patients and their families, along with providing the highest quality care and life support services.

The program’s mission is to create a future where no Georgia resident will leave the state for a heart or lung transplant. 

Delivering a Higher Level of Complex Care

Emory has a long history of building successful transplant programs and their foundation is strong. The first adult heart transplant was performed at Emory in 1985 and to-date have completed over 900 transplants, more than any other healthcare system in the state.

Emory is also the only healthcare provider in Georgia with a lung transplant program, and recently completed their 500th lung transplant. Even with this strong foundation, Emory has identified opportunities to further improve patient care delivery and enhance outcomes.

The new consolidated program delivers many benefits to patients, their families, the region and the medical community. Collaboration across specialties leads to faster decision-making, reduced errors and the ability to deliver a higher standard of care for patients facing heart or lung failure – from advanced and niche therapies to multi-visceral organ transplants. 

The team is also involved in cutting-edge research around end-organ failure, for example, utilizing ex vivo perfusion - an innovative approach that keeps transplanted organs alive outside the body before surgery to further evaluate its health and suitability for transplant - to organ donation after cardiac death to improve outcomes in heart and lung transplants.

Leading the Way

With Dr. Daneshmand leading the program, along with an expert team of board-certified clinicians working together across programs, Emory is able to access the latest proven diagnostic and therapeutic options for heart and lung failure patients.

The program’s areas of focus include:

• An unrelenting emphasis on clinical excellence
• Recruiting the best and brightest in the field
• Applying systemic changes to speed up the referral process so patients are seen more quickly and listed for transplant in a timely manner

The equipment, processes and experience that is available in the program now are very different than what was available even just six months ago – and drastically different than a few years ago. Focusing on these areas of change will advance the level of care available to patients – including the ability to care for the most complex cases. 

Emory Transplant Center is committed to the continued health and safety of all patients. During this time, we are taking all necessary precautions to screen for coronavirus (COVID-19) and to prevent its potential spread. We continue to monitor the evolving COVID-19 pandemic and are working with experts throughout Emory Healthcare to keep your patients safe. For the most up-to-date information for our referring partners, click here