Solid Organ Transplant Partnership

In what would be a first-of-its-kind collaboration, the North Broward and South Broward Hospital Districts have agreed to explore the possibility of cooperating on organ transplant services. The potential partnership would involve the existing liver transplant program at North Broward’s Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale and the kidney transplant program at South Broward’s Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood.

Gino Santorio, FACHE, and Aurelio M. Fernandez, III, FACHE, leaders of Broward Health and Memorial Healthcare System respectively, recently signed an exploratory cooperation letter of intent to formally begin the due diligence process.

Sharing expertise and resources enables the healthcare systems to expand transplant services and address marketplace dynamics. The ultimate goal is to enhance the quality of care, increase access, decrease cost, and improve the patient experience.

“We’re both in the business of improving the health of the South Florida community and we’re interested to see if there might be ways to do that more efficiently,” said Memorial Healthcare System President and CEO Fernandez. “Our specialists have been advocates of multiple solid organ transplant locations between our organizations and the timing is right to consider that possibility.” 

Broward Health has been performing liver transplants in adults since 2004. Memorial Healthcare System performs both pediatric and adult kidney transplants, one of only two programs in South Florida to offer both services, as well as heart transplants for children and adults. Should a partnership come to fruition, it is feasible liver and kidney transplants would be performed at both hospital locations, with medical teams having privileges at each facility.

“This opportunity will expand patient access to top medical experts in transplant services, while also increasing efficiencies for both health systems,” said Broward Health President and CEO Santorio. “We are excited to explore this partnership with Memorial, knowing that ultimately the greatest beneficiary of this unique collaboration – and possibly others – will be our patients and community.”

The evaluation period specified in the letter of intent expires May 31, 2020, unless the parties agree to move forward prior to that.