According to CMS conditions, how many heart transplants must a facility perform annually?

The requirement for a facility to perform a minimum of 10 heart transplants annually is based on the standards set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This benchmark ensures that hospitals demonstrate sufficient experience and capability in handling complex surgical procedures such as heart transplants. The rationale behind this requirement is to enhance patient outcomes by ensuring that the transplants are conducted in facilities that have a high volume of cases. A higher volume is often associated with better proficiency in managing both the surgical procedure and the accompanying postoperative care, which is critical for the survival and recovery of patients undergoing such a significant intervention. This rule helps standardize care and provides a level of assurance regarding the quality of services that patients can expect from transplant centers.