Liver Transplant

Patients with end-stage liver disease now have a new option for liver transplantation-the Liver Transplant Program at St. Joseph's Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation. 

Established in 2015, our program is part of a multi-organ transplant center (k)idney, liver, lung known for clinical excellence and personalized patient care. We benefit from the experience and infrastructure of the Center for Lung Transplantation, which opened at St. Joseph's in 2007 and is now one of the busiest and most respected lung transplant programs in the country. 

With certification from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Liver Transplant Program at St. Joseph's has achieved excellent patient outcomes, including a one-year patient/graft survival rate oflO0 percent as of December 2017. 

The Liver Transplant Program is part of a robust liver disease center that includes the largest viral hepatitis practice in Arizona, a rapidly growing clinical research program, and a partnership with the Dignity Health – Cancer Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center. We take a whole-body approach to liver disease, investing both in the prevention and treatment of early-stage disease and the management of end-stage disease. 

The goal of our transplant program is to give unparalleled care to patients with end-stage liver disease and to maintain collaborative communication among referring physicians, patients and the transplant team.

Personalized Patient Care

Our patients receive personalized care from a multi-disciplinary team of hepatologists, nurse practitioners, dietitians, social workers, psychiatrists and financial coordinators. Each patient is assigned a registered nurse transplant coordinator, who guides the individual through the transplant process-evaluation, waiting period, surgery and recovery. We provide life-long follow-up care for all of our transplant recipients.

Here are other examples of our patient-focused care:

  • Dedicated Transplant Center which offers all the routine services pre-and post-transplant patients need, including diagnostic imaging, phlebotomy, patient care coordination services, and doctors' offices.
  • Quick initial consultation appointments; we are contracted with most major payers including AHCCCS, Mercy Care, Medicare, and many commercial plans.
  • Care coordination for all services and appointments our patients require, expediting care and easing the stress of the transplant evaluation process.
  • Social workers who provide assistance to patients facing psychosocial or socioeconomic difficulties both pre­and post-transplant.
  • Multi-organ transplant capacity (e.g., simultaneous liver-kidney transplant) with coordinated lifelong care.
  • Liver transplant outreach clinics located in Tucson and Flagstaff, which reduce the need for frequent visits to Phoenix for pre-and post-transplant care.

Experienced Transplant Specialists, Advanced Technology 

The Liver Transplant Program is led by a team ofliver transplant specialists, including board-certified transplant hepatologists and transplant surgeons who have collectively performed more than 1,000 liver transplants at various institutions and are among Arizona's most experienced hepatobiliary surgeons.

The goal of our research is to improve the health and quality oflife for patients with liver disease.

Our Commitment to You 

As a referring physician, you play a crucial role in the transplant process. We understand that you may have concerns about when to make a referral and what testing is needed before a referral.

Please contact us at [email protected] or (602) 406-5509 to discuss any questions you may have about this  process. You may fax referrals to 602.798.0463.

Ongoing communication with referring physicians is a top priority for our team. Working together, we can ensure the best possible outcomes for your patients.