Dignity Health Norton Thoracic Institute Best in the U.S. for Lung Transplant Outcomes

 (PHOENIX - Aug. 6, 2025) – Norton Thoracic Institute at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center has been named the top performing program in the nation for lung transplant outcomes in a newly released ranking by the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR).

Norton earned the top spot in the national ranking by receiving the highest quality marks which evaluates metrics such as ‘one-year lung survival’, ‘getting a transplant faster’ and ‘survival on the waitlist’ on the July 2025 release.

“This achievement reflects the dedication and expertise of our entire transplant team,” said Dr. Ross Bremner, executive director of Norton Thoracic Institute. “The success of our program is credited to our multidisciplinary approach - surgeons, pulmonologists, nurses and experts from a variety of specialities are able to come together and meet the specific needs of our patients to ensure they can return to a fulfilling life. I am so proud of our entire staff who supports our patients throughout their lung transplant journey.”

In addition to achieving incredible quality scores, the Norton team performed 103 lung transplants in 2024, which is more than any other transplant center in the western United States. The average wait time for a lung transplant at Norton is approximately 2 weeks, which is significantly below the national average. Norton’s renowned transplant team also prides itself on performing lung transplants on some of the most ill patients with extremely complex cases which gives hope to many patients who may have been turned away at other centers.

“Here at Norton, we know a lung transplant is life changing to more than just the patient,” said Dr. Rajat Walia, director of lung transplantation at Norton Thoracic Institute. “ It makes an impact on patient’s families and friends who are gifted with precious time to make more memories, travel to new places and experience life in a way that was at one time fading away. It is incredibly rewarding to play a role in giving someone their life back.”

As one of the largest lung transplant centers in the country, Norton has performed more than 1,340 transplants for patients from more than 34 different states and 10 foreign countries since it was established in 2007.

In addition to providing some of the most complex lung transplant cases, Norton is home to robust liver and kidney transplant programs. In fact, the kidney transplant program at Norton earned the top quality scores in the latest round of SRTR data, and had shorter wait times and better outcomes compared to local competitors. Norton also provides comprehensive diagnosis and treatment services for a variety of thoracic diseases.