Lutheran Hospital to Discontinue Two Low Volume Specialty Services
6/2/2023
Lutheran Hospital will end heart transplant and inpatient burn services over the next month. The services are highly specialized and combined served less than 100 patients last year.
In 2022, ten patients received a heart transplant; in 2023 only one transplant has been performed. Last year, 88 patients received burn care in the hospital’s inpatient burn unit, which was a 20 percent decrease from 2021. More than 75 percent of the burn patients came from areas outside Allen County.
“Our long-term strategy is focused on services that patients are using most,” said Clyde Wood, CEO, Lutheran Hospital. “We remain committed to being an innovative leader in heart care as we have talented teams specializing in medical cardiology, advanced cardiac catheterizations, STEMI services for acute heart attacks, electrophysiology, heart surgery, advanced heart failure and other cardiovascular conditions. Lutheran Hospital also holds numerous accreditations from the American College of Cardiology including their highest honor - the HeartCARE Center National Distinction of Excellence.”
Lutheran Hospital heart transplant staff will assist patients who are on the waiting list for a new heart to immediately transfer their care to a nearby transplant center in Indianapolis, Columbus or Detroit or another program of the patient’s choice.
Effective June 2, 2023 the inpatient burn unit will not accept new patients. patients currently receiving care in the inpatient unit will be evaluated and transferred to another burn center if continued treatment is required after July 1, 2023. Emergency burn care will continue.
Wood added, “We are grateful for the physicians and staff who made offering these services possible and the patients who put their trust in our teams.”
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