Atlanta (Sept. 2, 2025) – Piedmont Heart Institute set a new organizational record in 2024 by performing 103 heart transplants at Piedmont Atlanta. Since starting in 2012, the heart transplant program has performed more than 375 heart transplants.
Piedmont performs more heart transplants than most transplant centers in the country; only three do more. In addition to being a top performing transplant center, Piedmont Heart had its highest volume to date of LVAD implants last year and remains the No. 1 program by volume in the country.
“Our emphasis on equitable access, in combination with implementing a responsible assertive organ acceptance approach has led to superb post-transplant outcomes,” said Ezequiel J. Molina, M.D., FACS, FACC, Director of Advanced Heart Failure, LVAD and Heart Transplantation, Samsky Advanced Heart Failure Center, Piedmont Heart Institute. “The approach we take has resulted in shorter wait times, lower mortality rates on the waitlist, and the highest one-year survival rates in Georgia.”
This year’s heart transplant numbers are a 29 percent increase from the year prior. The team also launched a dual organ transplant program for heart/kidney, completing 13 transplants in 2024, and recently heart/liver.
“Our team is passionate about finding new ways to serve our patients and it is reflected in the volumes we have seen the past two years,” said David Kandzari, M.D., Chief of Piedmont Heart Institute and the Cardiovascular Service Line; Director, Interventional Cardiology of the Piedmont Heart Institute; and Chief Scientific Officer for Piedmont Healthcare. “In addition, we could not do the important work that we do without the great contribution made by LifeLink of Georgia, our Organ Procurement Organization.”
Over 6 million adults are living with heart failure. The prevalence is rising, particularly in older adults due to increased rates of chronic conditions such as hypertension, obesity and diabetes, in addition to sedentary lifestyles, poor dietary habits, smoking, inflammatory diseases and genetic predispositions.
Listen to Dr. Molina on Piedmont’s newest Living Real Change podcast to learn more.
“As a top destination for cardiac care and international leader in cardiovascular research, Piedmont Heart is invested in helping people across the country receive top quality cardiovascular care,” said Dr. Molina. “With the growth of our program, we hope to help more people with heart failure receive a new heart.”
There are currently 3,751 Americans on the waiting list for a heart transplant, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.