Ochsner Multi-Organ Transplant Institute Named No. 1 in the Nation for Liver Transplants

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- CareChex, a division of The Delta Group specializing in rating the quality of hospital and physician care, has named the Ochsner Multi-Organ Transplant Institute number one in the country for liver transplants in its 2013 Hospital ratings. This prestigious distinction recognizes Ochsner as the top hospital in the nation out of over 100 hospitals rated for liver transplants.

The CareChex Medical Quality Rating System provides a comprehensive, multi-dimensional analysis of medical quality. It incorporates multiple peer-reviewed methodologies which specifically address key components of the quality of inpatient care. The methods for the clinical category of Liver Transplant encompass the following quality measures:

• Patient Safety Indicators
• Mortality Rates
• Complication Rates

"Receiving this recognition is a true testament to our innovation and dedication to excellence we have instituted since inception," said George Loss, Jr., MD, PhD, FACS, System Chair, Department of Surgery, Chief of Ochsner Multi-Organ Transplant Institute. "Our ability to research new technologies and procedures prepares us to meet the future needs of patients from across the country."

"CareChex allows the public to make informed decisions regarding the quality of medical and surgical care provided by hospitals," said Dr. Thane Forthman, managing principal at The Delta Group. "We are pleased to acknowledge that Ochsner has achieved an exceptionally high level of performance, especially in the area of medical excellence for Liver Transplants. Ochsner is a benchmark that other hospitals should seek to emulate."

Ochsner's comprehensive team consists of transplant surgeons, physicians and support specialists who have performed more than 4,500 liver, pancreas, kidney, heart and lung transplants. In 2012, more than 2,900 patients were referred to Ochsner as potential transplant candidates and 356 of those transplant procedures were performed.

"Our team uses a multi-disciplinary approach across the entire system which contributes to our transplant successes," said Nigel Girgrah, MD, PhD, Head of Hepatology, Medical Director of the Multi-Organ Transplant Institute. "This accolade is further proof that we have the right people and processes in place to provide high quality care for these patients."

Considered a Center of Excellence for most insurers, Ochsner provides focused support teams committed to delivering the type of assistance families need at a critical time in their lives. This includes counseling, accommodations, funding and even fulfilling specific cultural needs for our international patients.

The Ochsner Multi-Organ Transplant Institute has recently been recognized as one of only seven hospitals in the nation to receive the HealthGrades 2012 Liver Transplant Excellence Award, one of only 11 hospitals to receive the HealthGrades 2011 Kidney Transplant Excellence Award and the only pediatric heart transplant facility in Louisiana.

For more information, please visit www.ochsner.org/transplant.

Ochsner Health System is southeast Louisiana's largest non-profit, academic, multi-specialty, healthcare delivery system with eight hospitals and 38 health centers in Louisiana. Ochsner has been named the Consumer Choice for Healthcare in New Orleans for 17 consecutive years and is the only Louisiana hospital recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a "Best Hospital" across 11 specialty categories. Ochsner employs more than 13,000 employees, over 850 physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties and conducts over 300 clinical research trials annually. Ochsner Health System is proud to be a tobacco-free environment. For more information, please visit ochsner.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

SOURCE Ochsner Multi-Organ Transplant Institute