News Release
Construction begins on satellite dialysis unit for residents of southern Niagara
- Date of Issue: Thursday, March 10, 2005
- Français
NIAGARA , ON - Construction has begun on a satellite dialysis unit for the Welland Hospital Site of the Niagara Health System (NHS) that will bring treatment closer to home for the residents of south Niagara.
A temporary, 15-station satellite dialysis unit is expected to open in the summer to address the urgent and growing need for dialysis services for residents in the southern portion of the region. Currently, Hotel Dieu Health Sciences Hospital in St. Catharines is the only place in the region where patients can receive dialysis treatment. Construction of the portable structure that will house the unit has begun off site. The structure will be transported to the Welland Hospital Site once the necessary on-site preparatory work is completed.
"It is very exciting to be moving forward with this important initiative on behalf of the Niagara residents in our southern communities who require this vital service," said Debbie Sevenpifer, President and CEO of the NHS. "Providing timely access to dialysis services in southern Niagara will have a tremendous impact on the lives of the many patients with kidney disease who must currently travel to St. Catharines on a regular basis for treatment."
The temporary unit is being designed to accommodate 15 stations, with tie-in to the main building for heat, electricity and water. The portable is approximately 3,500 square feet in size and will be located on the east side of the existing hospital, behind the current McLean Building.
Planning for a permanent 24-station, $5-million satellite dialysis unit at the Welland Hospital Site is currently underway, with a target of 2006-2007 to complete construction. The permanent stations involve the development of a single-storey, ground-floor addition north of the Woolcott Wing. The unit will be approximately 12,500 square feet and will allow for future growth anticipated in this service based on population health statistics for the region. Both the permanent and temporary units are being centrally located to allow easy access for patients and an accessible patient drop-off and pick-up area.
The NHS Board of Trustees awarded the tender for the temporary unit to James Kemp Construction Limited of Hamilton. Total cost of the project is $1.64 million, with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care contributing $1.15 million and the NHS funding the balance. The Welland, Port Colborne and Douglas Memorial hospital foundations, together with the Niagara Health System Foundation, will fundraise for equipment for the temporary unit. Equipment costs, which are not covered by the Ministry, at this time are estimated at $350,000. Each hemodialysis machine costs about $30,000 and has a life span of five years. In all, the four foundations will be working together to raise a total of $3 million for both the temporary and permanent dialysis units.
"Meeting the health-care needs of residents across Niagara is a key priority for the NHS," said Mrs. Sevenpifer. "This important initiative to bring dialysis services closer to home for the people of south Niagara, coupled with the new $13-million Leon Emergency/Ambulatory Care Centre in Welland, demonstrates the NHS's commitment to build a strong foundation at the Welland Hospital Site for high-quality and accessible services in the area."
Among other important redevelopment initiatives across NHS sites, construction of a new, $21-million, state-of-the-art emergency department and ambulatory care centre at the Greater Niagara General Site in Niagara Falls will begin shortly. The St. Catharines General Site is undergoing $5.4 million in interim renovations to support program transfers from Hotel Dieu.
NHS FACT SHEET ON DIALYSIS
More than 260 people from all parts of Niagara receive dialysis treatment three times every week at Hotel Dieu, with each visit lasting three to four hours. Once the satellite unit at the Welland Hospital Site opens, one of several program transfers between the Hotel Dieu and the NHS, 90 patients will be treated there every week, with the remainder continuing to receive care in St. Catharines.
Niagara residents display relatively high rates of early stage renal disease and dialysis, compared to provincial and national averages. This is partly due to the fact that the region has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and older as compared with other areas in the province. Niagara residents aged 65 and older make up 16.9 per cent of the region's population, which is four per cent higher than the provincial average.
The number of people requiring dialysis in Niagara is projected to increase by 87 per cent by the year 2008. In less than five years, the NHS will have to double the number of dialysis stations in Niagara. Right now there are 43 stations serving local residents. By 2008, the NHS will need 81 stations and by 2013 it anticipates the need for 133 stations in our region.
Healthy kidneys clean the blood by removing excess fluid, minerals and wastes. They also make hormones that keep the bones strong and the blood healthy. When a person's kidneys fail, harmful wastes build up in their body, their blood pressure may rise, and their body may retain excess fluid and not make enough red blood cells. When this happens, treatment is required to replace the work of the failed kidneys. Hemodialysis cleans and filters the blood using a machine to temporarily rid the body of harmful wastes and fluids.