Edible Apple

Methodist University Hospital, located in Memphis, issued a press release today confirming that Steve Jobs did in fact undergo a liver transplant a few months ago at their facility.  Doctor James Eason, who is the program director at the Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute in addition to being the Chief of Transplantation at the University of Tennessee explained why Jobs in particular was selected to receive a liver, potentially in front of other patients also in need of a transplant.

He received a liver transplant because he was the patient with the highest MELD score (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) of his blood type and, therefore, the sickest patient on the waiting list at the time a donor organ became available.

Dr. Eason went on to state that Jobs’ recovery is going well and that he has an “excellent prognosis.”

There you go, investors.

Since the WSJ first broke the news of Jobs’ transplant, pundits were quick to criticize Apple’s handling of the matter, with some demanding that Apple formally acknowledge Jobs’ procedure.  This in spite of the fact that Jobs is still technically on a voluntary leave of absence, with COO Tim Cook presumably still handling the day to day duties normally reserved for Jobs.

With the news that Jobs’ prognosis is “excellent”, we can hopefully put to rest any lingering questions about Jobs’ well-being.  At this point, what else needs to be said?  Besides, it already seems that Jobs is getting back into the swing of things a tad earlier than expected.  Since news of the transplant first hit the web, Jobs was quoted in an Apple press release regarding impressive sales of the iPhone 3G S (where he was referenced as Apple’s CEO), and was even spotted on Apple’s campus yesterday.

The debate over Steve Jobs’ health should now be over

Regarding public disclosures, we should point out that corporate executives are not required by law to disclose health information to the public.  Still, when Jobs first began appearing gaunt, some argued that because Jobs himself was so closely tied to the success of Apple, investors had a right to know what was behind Jobs’ weight loss.

But if the last few months have showed us anything, it’s that Apple is a well-oiled machine run by a number of skilled executives who are capable of propelling the company forward.  Moreover, Apple employs thousands of people, from talented engineers, to artists, designers, and even music gurus who decide what albums and songs deserve front page treatment on iTunes.

Steve Jobs readily admits that one of the more important things in business is to surround yourself with good and talented people.  So while Steve Jobs was undoubtedly integral in transforming Apple from an unprofitable laughing stock into an industry leading Tech company, he didn’t do it alone.  He surrounded himself with extremely talented and motivated individuals who share his passion for “changing the world.”  And because of that, Apple won’t crumble in his absence.

That said, hopefully we won’t hear any more news stories about Jobs’ health for a long long time.