Jackson Health CEO says HHS decertification of Life Alliance won’t affect transplant patients; system highlights awards and rankings

At the televised Public Health Trust meeting on Sept. 24, Jackson Health System leadership told board members a federal decertification of Life Alliance Recovery Agency — the organ procurement organization serving South Florida — will not affect patients currently listed for organ transplants at Jackson Memorial Hospital or the Miami Transplant Institute.

"During the decertification process, HHS has confirmed that there will be no impact on patients who are currently listed on the organ transplant waiting list at the hospital serviced by Life Alliance," Mr. Carlos Migoya said. He added that the Miami Transplant Institute (MTI) will continue to operate and the system is "proceeding with business as usual" for transplant programs.

Migoya said the South Florida region has historically been a low performer in organ procurement and expressed optimism that changes to the organ procurement office will improve donation rates and lead to "more people receiving the gift of life." The board did not take separate action on the HHS announcement during the meeting.

Migoya also reported several recognitions for Jackson Health System. He said the Consortium for a Healthier Miami-Dade named Jackson the Florida Worksite Wellness Awards winner in the employer category for organizations with more than 1,000 employees, beating finalists that included the City of Miami and BankUnited. He credited Michelle Kligman, identified in the meeting as Jackson’s chief human resources officer, and her team for leading employee-focused wellness efforts summarized with the phrase "employee obsessed."

Migoya described Jackson’s wellness offerings as including on-site wellness clinics, systemwide "Zen dens" for rest and meditation, and periodic wellness events such as "Zen painting, grama therapy and puppy therapy." He linked the program to benefits including reduced absenteeism and improved staff morale.

The CEO also highlighted national clinical rankings: Lynn Rehabilitation Center was named among the nation’s top rehabilitation hospitals in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals ranking, and Jackson Health System was listed as a high-performing hospital across multiple procedures and conditions, including spinal fusion, colon cancer surgery, hip fracture and stroke.

The board received the report; no formal vote was recorded on the recognitions or rankings.

Ending — The chair moved the meeting along after the report and the board proceeded to committee and agenda business later in the session.