THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 28, 1996 TAG: 9608280714
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 23 lines
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital has asked the state for permission to begin a liver transplant program.
The hospital has filed an application with the Eastern Virginia Health Systems Agency, which will hold a public hearing on the request next month. The agency is a state-appointed body that regulates expansion of hospitals.
Sentara Norfolk General already performs transplants of hearts, lungs and kidneys. Doctors there also do joint heart-lung transplants.
Sentara officials plan to use the hospital's existing operating and recovery rooms and estimate it will cost $61,000 to establish the program, according to documents from the Health Systems Agency.
The service probably would undertake six transplants in its first year and 12 in its second.
If a liver transplant program is established, there will remain only one typical organ transplant service - for pancreas - not offered at the hospital, a Sentara spokesperson said. by CNB