Once your doctor recommends a lung transplant, the next step is choosing a transplant center. This is a big decision. Where you get your transplant – and the people who care for you – can affect your outcome. Often the choice of center is based on your insurance carrier so be sure to check to see if the center you choose is in your network. 

What is a transplant center?

A transplant center is a hospital that performs organ transplants. Every transplant center in the U.S. must follow strict safety rules and is part of the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network.

Meet your transplant team

You’ll be cared for by a team of professionals. Each person has a special role:

• Transplant coordinator – Manages your care, answers questions and helps you before and after your surgery.
• Transplant surgeon – Performs your surgery.
• Transplant physician – Manages your medical care before and after surgery (does not perform surgery).
• Anesthesiologist – Gives you medicine to help you sleep during surgery and manages pain afterward.
• Nurses– Take care of you before and after surgery and teach you about medicines and recovery.
• Dietician – Helps you meet nutrition goals (like gaining or losing weight prior to transplant).
• Physical therapist – Helps improve your strength and endurance before surgery.
• Financial coordinator – Helps you understand costs and works with your insurance.
• Social worker – Supports you and your loved ones emotionally.
• Primary care doctor or PH specialist – Stays involved in your care and communicates with the transplant center.

What to look for in a transplant center

Don’t choose a center based only on one doctor. The whole team matters. Ask these questions:

• How many lung transplants has this center done annually?
• How many PH patients have received transplants here – this year and in total?
• What types of transplants does the center perform?
• How many surgeons do this kind of transplant? How many do they do each year?
• What are your one- and five-year survival rates?
• How long do patients typically wait for a lung?
• How many are on the waiting list who have my blood type?
• How many patients have died while waiting?
• Will I need to move closer to the hospital while waiting?
• Do you offer temporary housing before or after the transplant? What is the cost?
• What happens when I get “the call”? How quickly do I need to get there?
• How long will I be in the hospital after surgery?
• Do you have a support group?

If you’re on a medication like epoprostenol or treprostinil, ask how familiar the staff are with using it during transplant.

Do your research

• View a list of transplant centers by state on the OPTN website.
• Look up Medicare-approved centers – Medicare only covers transplants done at these locations.
• Ask your insurance provider which centers are in their network.
• Visit the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients to compare transplant center data.