Oregon’s only heart transplant hospital suspends procedures

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The only Oregon hospital that does heart transplants is suspending its program for 14 days because of a shortage of doctors qualified to do the specialized surgery.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that Oregon Health & Science University in Portland made the decision after three cardiologists on the transplant team left or announced plans to leave.

OHSU won’t evaluate new patients for a transplant, accept donor hearts or perform any transplant surgeries for 14 days.

Renee Edwards, chief medical officer for OHSU Healthcare, says heart patients who don’t need transplants can still be treated at OHSU.

But anyone on track for a transplant soon will likely be referred to another hospital.

Thirty heart transplants were done at OHSU in 2017.

The newspaper reports there are 30 patients awaiting transplants at the hospital.

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Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com