Lung Referral Criteria & Process

Send your patient with severe lung disease to the University Health Transplant Institute for lung transplantation evaluation if other treatments do not work.

Lung Transplant Patient Criteria

Rely on the multidisciplinary transplant team and selection committee at the University Health Transplant Institute to closely review your patient’s referral information. Trust our team to use your patient’s lung evaluation and testing results to evaluate whether a lung transplant is the best treatment.

Lung transplantation may be the right treatment when your patient with advanced lung disease does not improve with other medical or surgical therapies.

When Lung Transplant is Not the Right Treatment

Following the guidelines of the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation, we will not consider your patient for lung transplantation if he or she has:

• Active or recent malignancy
• Body mass index (BMI) less than 17 or greater than 30
• Current substance abuse (tobacco, alcohol or illicit drugs) – The patient must have proof of abstinence for six months before the transplant evaluation
• Dysfunction of other major organ systems
• HIV infection
• No consistent or reliable social support
• Noncompliance with prescribed medications and medical recommendations
• Unresolved psychosocial issues or uncontrolled psychiatric illness

Three-Step Referral Process

When your patient meets all the referral criteria, follow our three-step referral process for adult lung transplantation:

• Complete the online Lung Transplant Referral Form OR
  Download and print the Lung Transplant Referral Form [PDF, 103 KB].
  
  Submit the completed referral form and a copy of the patient’s insurance card (front and back) to University Health Transplant Institute using one of the following methods:
• Referral fax: 210-358-8254
• Mail to:
  4502 Medical Drive, MS 18
  San Antonio, TX 78229
• Referral hotline: 210-567-5777 or 1-888-336-9633

• Download and print the Lung Referral Patient Information Cover Sheet & Checklist [PDF, 42 KB].
  
  Complete the cover sheet and include all patient information on the checklist. Submit the information to University Health Transplant Institute by fax or mail.

• Within 48 hours of receiving your patient referral, we will contact your office by phone and/or email to:
  • Confirm receipt of your referral
  • Confirm receipt of all patient information
  • Notify you and your patient of the initial evaluation date
  • Answer your questions and provide support

Advanced Lung Treatments

Find high-quality lung disease and respiratory treatments at University Health, in partnership with UT Health San Antonio. Your patients can take advantage of our expertise in a wide variety of pulmonary conditions.