Jackson Health System reports it is beefing up the Miami Transplant Institute as part of its efforts to make it a “signature partnership” with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Rodrigo Vianna, a transplant surgeon from Indiana University who trained at Jackson/UM, has been hired as director of transplant services. He will be responsible for overall operations of the transplant program. Gaetano Ciancio, a longtime institute surgeon, will serve as chief medical officer and chief academic officer.

Pascal Goldschmidt, dean of the medical school, said UM was grateful to Jackson’s leadership and Ciancio for “help in bringing Dr. Vianna home. ... He brings a level of technical expertise that will be of extraordinary benefit to our patients.”

Jackson has spent $250,000 to redo the flooring, cabinets and furniture in the waiting room for the transplant out-patient services on the sixth floor of the Highland Professional Building, where the institute is headquartered, said Jackson spokesman Edwin O’Dell. The first floor reception area was also redone.

Jackson and UM have partnered in transplant programs for more than four decades, but competition recently has been heating up. Last July, a celebrated UM transplant surgeon, Andreas Tzakis, announced he was moving to Cleveland Clinic in Weston to help establish a transplant program there.

Jackson and UM have been engaged in lengthy discussions to find ways that they can work together. The organ transplant program has been the premier area where that cooperation has been worked out.