The Hahnemann Kidney Transplant Program provides a fully integrated approach to patient care that includes physician and surgeon specialists, nurse coordinators, social worker, pharmacist and other support staff.  This expert team works collaboratively to help ensure the best possible outcomes for transplant patients. 

Hahnemann’s transplant inpatient unit is staffed by specially trained nurses who maintain and support current scientific protocols in delivering care to transplant patients. The team of physicians and medical support staff ensure high quality care before, during and well after the transplant procedure.

In addition to the inpatient unit, Hahnemann’s Transplant Program has an outpatient suite where patients come for biopsy, antibiotic infusions and other treatments.

During the process of transplantation, patients get to know the entire transplant team.  

Kidney Transplant Team

Mysore S. Kumar, M.D., Chief, Kidney/Pancreas Program
David J. Reich, M.D., Chief, Division of Multi-Organ Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery
Gary Xiao, M.D., Abdominal Organ Transplant Surgeon

Alden Doyle,M.D., Medical Director, Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Surgery Program
Karthrik Ranganna, M.D. Transplant Nephrologist, Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Surgery Program

Transplant Surgeons
The transplant surgeon performs the actual transplantation procedure and monitors the patient’s medication before, during and after surgery.  The surgeon assesses the quality of the donor’s kidney before surgery and monitors the patient’s general health and kidney status following transplantation. 

Mysore S. Kumar, M.D.
Chief, Kidney/Pancreas Program, Hahnemann University Hospital
Vice Chairman and Professor, Department of Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine  

Dr. Kumar is board certified in surgery, specializing in transplantation.  He helped to establish the Kidney and Kidney/Pancreas Transplant program at Hahnemann University Hospital in 1991. During his career, he has performed well over 1500 kidney transplants.  Dr. Kumar specializes in kidney transplant from both living and deceased donors and has a special interest in transplanting high risk patients which includes older patients (age 70 and over), patients with past cancer, patients with arterial diseases and HIV positive patients. Dr. Kumar is recognized nationally and internationally for his contributions and research in the field of transplantation.  

A fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Dr. Kumar is also a member of  the American Society of Transplant Surgeons and the International Transplant Society. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Gift of Life Donor program in Philadelphia and The End Stage Renal Disease Network 4 committee.  

David J. Reich, M.D., FACS
Chief, Division of Multi-Organ Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Hahnemann University Hospital
Vice Chairman and Professor, Department of Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine  

Dr Reich is an internationally recognized leader in solid organ transplantation. He specializes in complex liver surgery, transplantation of high-risk patients, safe use of extended criteria donor organs and long-term healthcare following transplantation.   

Dr. Reich has experience as a clinician, administrator, educator and scientist. He has published extensively and lectured internationally regarding various research initiatives and clinical aspects of liver surgery, including pioneering work with Donation after Cardiac Death organ transplantation.   

Dr. Reich has held numerous, prominent national appointments. He is the current Region Two Representative to the OPTN/UNOS Liver and Intestinal Organ Transplantation Committee and a chairman of the OPTN/UNOS National Liver Allocation Review Board.  He is chairman of the Standards on Organ Transplantation Committee of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, and the surgeon-representative on the Clinical Research Committee of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Dr. Reich also serves as chairman of the liver/intestine committee and member of the Medical Advisory Board of the Gift of Life Donor Program.  Additionally, he is past chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee and a member of the Board of Directors of the American Liver Foundation, Delaware Valley Chapter.   

Before joining the Hahnemann University Hospital Center for Transplant Surgery, Dr. Reich served as director of Liver Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA. 

He received his bachelor of arts degree from Columbia College of Columbia University in New York and earned his medical degree from McGill University Faculty of Medicine in Montreal, Canada.  Dr. Reich completed his residency in general surgery at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, and his fellowship in multi-organ transplantation and hepatobiliary surgery at The Mount Sinai Hospital also in New York. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery.

Gary Xiao, M.D.
Abdominal Organ Transplant Surgeon, Hahnemann University Hospital
Assistant Professor of Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine  

Dr. Xiao specializes in liver transplant, kidney transplant, general surgery, hepatobiliary surgery, pancreas transplant, and pancreatic surgery. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a member of the American Society of Transplantation Surgeons.  

Dr. Xiao has a broad range of clinical training and expertise. Prior to joining the Hahnemann University Hospital Center for Transplant Surgery, Dr. Xiao completed a fellowship in multi-organ transplantation at the Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Xiao also completed a clinical transplant fellowship in kidney and pancreas transplantation at Albany Medical College, in addition to a surgical residency at Drexel University College of Medicine, and a urology residency at the First Teaching Hospital of Henan Medical University in Zhengzhou, Henan, China.  

Dr. Xiao earned his medical degree as well as a master of medicine degree in kidney transplantation from Henan Medical University. He has been published in a number of national and international publications, including the American Journal of Transplantation and peer-reviewed journals in China.  

Transplant Nephrologist
The transplant nephrologist, or kidney specialist, monitors all non-surgical aspects of patient cares.  This includes performing examinations, assessing test results and adjusting medication as needed.

Alden Doyle, M.D.
Medical Director, Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program, Hahnemann University Hospital
Associate Professor of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine  

Dr. Doyle is active in the kidney transplant program and maintains a special clinical and investigative focus on patients with kidney disease following non-renal organ transplantation.

A member of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Nephrology, Dr. Doyle is board-certified in both internal medicine and nephrology.

He completed his fellowship in Renal, Electrolyte, and Hypertension at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and an internship and residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Texas at Southwestern in Dallas.

Dr. Doyle earned his medical degree from Tulane Medical School and completed a Master’s degree in public health and tropical medicine Tulane University School of Public Health. Dr. Doyle also holds a Master’s degree in Immunology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Karthrik Ranganna, M.D.
Transplant Nephrologist, Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program, Hahnemann University Hospital
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine  

Dr. Ranganna specializes in nephrology and hypertension.  He is a member of the National Kidney Foundation, the American Society of Nephrology, and the International Society of Nephrology. Prior to joining the Hahnemann University Hospital Center for Transplant Surgery, Dr. Ranganna practiced at Candler Internal Medicine and Nephrology in Metter, Georgia.  

A graduate of Mysore Medical College in Mysore, India, Dr. Ranganna was employed as a medical practitioner for Shakara Community Hospital in HD Kite, India, and Indian Railways, before coming to the United States. Dr. Ranganna completed a fellowship in nephrology and hypertension at Hahnemann University Hospital. He completed his internship and residency training at Hahnemann as well.

Transplant Coordinators
The transplant coordinators, who are registered nurses or nurse practitioners, play a key role in the patient’s care and serve as the patient’s primary contact throughout the transplant process.  The transplant coordinators ensure continuity of care from the time of admission into the transplant program through long-term follow up care after the transplant, serving as liaison between patients, referring physicians, the transplant team and the hospital.  They are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer emergency questions.  The transplant coordinator’s responsibilities include meeting and evaluating all new patients that come to our center as well as scheduling pre-transplant testing, assisting when a donor kidney becomes available, arranging testing for donor compatibility, contacting the patient when a kidney has been found, and ensuring that the patient has the appropriate follow-up care after transplantation.  The coordinator also teaches patients how to care for themselves before and after transplantation.

Post Transplant Nurses                                                                                 
The post-transplant nurses help to provide patient care during visits to the Hahnemann Kidney Transplant Program clinic after transplantation.    

Social Worker
The social worker provides social and emotional support to kidney transplant patients, living donors and family members. The social worker sees and evaluates every patient seeking a transplant in order to assess the patient’s overall situation and understanding of the transplant process, and to offer assistance as appropriate.  This involves referring patients to services and resources in the community when needed. The social worker’s role includes help with psychosocial and family issues as well as advice regarding health insurance coverage and issues that impact on a patients’ over all emotional, psychological and social well being.

Transplant Pharmacist
The pharmacist helps to educate the transplant patient and family about the crucial role of medications, particularly immunosuppressive drugs, in ensuring the success of the kidney transplant and maintaining the patient’s health.  The pharmacist explains what the medications do, provides guidelines for taking them, emphasizes the importance of following the schedule and outlines side effects that the patient can expect.                                                                                             

Financial Coordinator
The financial coordinator helps patient with billing and insurance matters. This includes working with Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance carriers, obtaining pre-authorization for transplant surgery and transplant-related procedures.

Data Coordinator
The data coordinator provides accurate and timely submission of data to UNOS.

Transplant Program Administration
The Administrative team oversees all aspects of the department to ensure superior service to our patients.