In 2024, the Piedmont Heart Institute achieved a major accomplishment by performing 103 heart transplants at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, which set a new record for the organization. Since starting their heart transplant program in 2012, the team has completed more than 375 transplants, showing their strong position as a top heart care provider in the country. Now, Piedmont is among the top four heart transplant centers in the U.S. in terms of how many transplants they do each year, with only three other programs doing more. In addition to their success with heart transplants, the institute also had the highest number of Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) implants they’ve ever recorded in 2024, keeping them as the leading LVAD program in the nation by volume.
Dr. Ezequiel J. Molina, who leads the Advanced Heart Failure, LVAD, and Heart Transplantation programs at Piedmont Heart Institute’s Samsky Advanced Heart Failure Center, said their success comes from a patient-focused approach that aims to increase access and make the best use of available donor organs. He explained that this strategy has led to better-than-average results after transplants, including shorter wait times, lower death rates for patients on the transplant list, and the best one-year survival rate for heart transplant patients in Georgia.
This year’s number of heart transplants is a 29 percent increase from the previous year. Along with heart transplants, the institute started a dual organ transplant program, completing 13 heart and kidney transplants in 2024. They have also recently launched a new heart and liver transplant program, which adds to the variety of complex procedures the center can offer.
Health Technology Insights: Drive Health Partners with Banyan to Expand AI Labor Tech in Acute Care
Dr. David Kandzari, who is the Chief of the Piedmont Heart Institute and the Cardiovascular Service Line, as well as the Director of Interventional Cardiology and Chief Scientific Officer for Piedmont Healthcare, gave credit to the team’s hard work and creativity. He pointed out that their ongoing efforts to find new treatment methods are shown by the steady increase in the number of transplants over the past two years. He also thanked LifeLink of Georgia, the institute’s Organ Procurement Organization, for helping make this life-saving work possible.
Heart failure affects more than six million adults in the U.S., and this number is growing, especially in older people. The reasons for this increase include long-term health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, as well as unhealthy habits and genetic factors. Dr. Molina said that Piedmont Heart Institute continues to work toward providing top-quality heart care to patients across the country. As a well-known center for heart treatment and research, he is hopeful that the growth of their transplant program will bring more hope and healing to people suffering from advanced heart failure.
Health Technology Insights: Carna Health and Siemens Healthineers join forces to Advance Kidney Care Innovation
To participate in our interviews, please write to our HealthTech Media Room at sudipto@intentamplify.com
