Tower Health approved for transplant surgeries

The Tower Health Transplant Institute has received the necessary regulatory approvals from UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing) and the Department of Health to begin performing transplant surgeries.

The Tower Health Transplant Institute is the present home of the former Hahnemann University Hospital kidney and liver transplant program. Philadelphia-based Hahnemann University Hospital announced in June that it would close due to financial difficulties, and the Hahneman transplant team joined with the Reading-based Tower Health Network in September.

“The approvals from UNOS and the Department of Health is fantastic news for Tower Health, our patients, and the community,” said Clint Matthews, president and CEO of Tower Health in a news release. “We are honored to bring this award-winning team and its renowned physicians and staff to the communities we serve. It is a true display of the relentless pursuit of excellence in all that we do.”

The Tower Health Transplant Institute and Center for Liver Diseases is in place for transplant surgery, hepatology, and nephrology inpatient services at Reading Hospital, selected inpatient services at Chestnut Hill Hospital, and outpatient services at Reading Hospital and in Center City Philadelphia.

Kidney and liver transplants will be performed at the Reading Hospital HealthPlex, bringing kidney and liver transplant services to Berks County for the first time.

“We are thrilled to have the transplant program, and all that it brings to our patients and communities, be part of Tower Health,” said David Reich, MD, Medical Director and Chief Surgeon, Tower Health Transplant Institute. “This is an extraordinary way for us to deliver on our promise of advancing health and transforming lives.”