Translating Research Into Real-World Impact for Patients with Complex Lung Disease

In this episode of the Becker's Healthcare Podcast, host Lucas Voss interviews Dr. Geraint Kreiner, Chair and Professor of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery at Temple University's Lewis Katt School of Medicine and Director of the Temple Lung Center. Dr. Kreiner shares insights into how Temple Health achieved a national record of 179 lung transplants in 2025, attributing their success to a highly coordinated, multidisciplinary team approach that spans pulmonary, surgical, critical care, anesthesia, rehabilitation, and support staff. He emphasizes that transplant success hinges not on volume alone, but on sustained quality outcomes, long-term patient monitoring for complications like chronic lung allograft dysfunction, and a comprehensive care model that supports patients even when transplant isn't an option. Dr. Kreiner also discusses the critical role of academic medicine in driving innovation through research, evidence-based practice, and patient-centered care, urging health systems to prioritize holistic, compassionate models that improve patient trajectories and reduce the need for transplants in the future.