Dr. Lyndsey Biondi, a transplant surgeon and program director at Texas Tech Physicians, said that the first kidney transplant in the new West Texas program was successful, marking the beginning of expanded local care. This statement was made during an interview.
"Last week, I had the privilege of performing the first kidney transplant surgery at our new program in Lubbock," said Dr. Lara Johnson, Chief Medical Officer, according to LinkedIn. "Our patient is now off dialysis, has normal kidney function, and is on the road to a full recovery. West Texas faces one of the highest rates of kidney failure in the nation. This is just the beginning one transplant down, countless more to come."
According to Covenant Health, residents of eastern and southeastern New Mexico often seek specialized healthcare in Albuquerque or Lubbock, Texas. The recent reinstatement of the kidney transplant program at Covenant Medical Center in Lubbock—through a collaboration with Texas Tech Physicians—offers a more accessible option for patients in these regions. This development is particularly significant for those with end-stage renal disease as it reduces the burden of long-distance travel for life-saving procedures.
Trippy reports that Lubbock's proximity to cities like Clovis, New Mexico, makes it a more accessible choice for many patients. The drive from Clovis to Lubbock is approximately 100 miles and takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes, compared to a 222-mile trip to Albuquerque, which takes nearly 3 hours and 26 minutes. This significant difference in travel time and distance often influences patients to seek medical care in Lubbock rather than Albuquerque.
A systematic review published in 2014 in the Journal of Community Health found that transportation barriers affect access to healthcare for between 3% and 67% of the U.S. population, depending on the group studied and research methods. These challenges are especially acute in rural areas where long distances to care and limited public transit options can severely limit access to essential medical services. In eastern New Mexico, the reinstatement of specialized care—such as the kidney transplant program in Lubbock—is expected to draw more patients from nearby regions by offering a significantly closer and more accessible option for life-saving treatment.
Biondi serves as the transplant surgeon and program director at Texas Tech Physicians, where she leads the newly reinsaid kidney transplant program at Covenant Medical Center in Lubbock. With over 20 years of experience in general and transplant surgery, Biondi played a pivotal role in revitalizing kidney transplant services for West Texas. She successfully performed the first transplant under the renewed program on April 7, 2025.
