The Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute in partnership with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center has gained Center of Excellence status for OptumHealth (previously United Resource Network) for both its adult liver and kidney transplant programs.

“Our entire transplant team has worked tirelessly to achieve OptumHealth’s Center of Excellence designation,” said Daniel Stanton, administrator, Transplant Institute. “This recognition acknowledges the quality of our transplant program.”

OptumHealth, one of the nation’s largest health and wellness companies, provides health coverage for 58 million people. In order to receive the Center of Excellence designation, OptumHealth requires an extensive review of each specific program to ensure medical centers provide superior clinical outcomes through evidence-based medicine and best practices.

The Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute is centered on providing each patient with exceptional, individualized care, while focusing on making Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute a nationally recognized program.

The transplant program began at UT Bowld Hospital in 1976. Methodist Healthcare assumed operation of UT Bowld in 2002. In 2004 transplant services moved to Methodist University Hospital and became the Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute. Since moving to Methodist University Hospital, the number of transplants at the institute more than doubled between 2004, when 109 transplants were performed, and 2007, when 233 were done.

Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute is a state-of-the-art facility featuring two dedicated transplant operating rooms, a transplant clinic with telemedicine capabilities, and an off-site diagnostic center with a dedicated transplant area.