Organ donations lead to hirings at UPMC

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- More organ donations have led to a hiring increase at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
UPMC expects to hire about 100 new employees, from doctors to support staff.
The hiring comes in response to an increase in cadaver donations and an increase in donations from living donors, said John Innocenti, senior vice president and chief operating officer of UPMC Presbyterian.
The hospital was doing about 25 transplants using kidneys from living donors four years ago.
Last year, the hospital did more than 100 living donor kidney transplants and expects those numbers to increase this year.
After doing a handful of liver transplants from living donors last year, UPMC is now averaging about one per week, Innocenti said.
New hires will not occur all at once, Innocenti said.
"It will be gradual, based on the success and volume of the living-related liver and kidney program," he said.