MEDIA RELEASE
Improving Access to Dialysis Treatment
(New six-station renal dialysis unit provides care closer to home
LEAMINGTON, Ont. - December 16, 2011 - Leamington District Memorial Hospital (LDMH) and Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital (HDGH) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony today to mark the upcoming opening of a new dialysis satellite unit that will provide care closer to home for area residents.
The satellite dialysis unit, which will be located at LDMH, will open to patients in mid-January and will be operated by HDGH Regional Renal program. The six station satellite will provide hemodialysis treatments for up to 36 patients in Leamington and the surrounding area. Patients in Leamington and its surrounding area who require in-centre dialysis treatment have needed to travel to HDGH in downtown Windsor three times weekly to receive this important service. The treatment itself can take 4-5 hours, so travelling from Essex County to downtown Windsor further extends the day for these patients.
"This is a great day for Leamington and our surrounding area and a huge relief for patients who require these treatments on a continual basis," said John Stenger, CEO for LDMH. "It's an excellent extension of the health care service we can provide our local communities."
"This new unit is an excellent complement to the services HDGH provides in Windsor, and allows access to care closer to home for members of the local area communities," said Patricia Dwyer the Erie-St. Clair Regional Director for the Ontario Renal Network (ORN). "The agreement demonstrates the collaboration and partnership established between Hotel-Dieu Grace and the Leamington District Memorial Hospitals."
The Leamington dialysis satellite is collaboratively funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, the two hospitals, local community donations and the Ontario Renal Network.
Through the Windsor and Leamington locations, the HDGH program provides dialysis care to 238 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients in the Windsor Essex area.
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For more information contact:
Steve Erwin, HDGH Director of Communications at 519-973-4433