Global Dialysis - Dialysis center expansion planned

Dialysis center expansion planned - Wilkes Journal Patriot

Posted: Wednesday, May 27, 2015 2:17 pm | Updated: 2:19 pm, Wed May 27, 2015.

Dialysis center expansion planned Emily Storrow journalpatriot | 0 comments

Wilkes Regional Medical Center officials shared plans for expanding the hospital’s dialysis center in a board of directors’ meeting Tuesday night.

The plans include five new hemodialysis chairs at the Donald Gene Jarvis Dialysis Unit at West Park in North Wilkesboro, bringing the center’s total to 24, said WRMC Vice President Tammy Love.

Dialysis is a common treatment method for people with kidney failure, also known as end stage renal disease.

Ms. Love said the center has seen an increase in the number of patients, and has been scheduling after-hour care to accommodate the increase.

WRMC received approval from the state to add the five chairs, allowing the center to treat more patients during regular hours. WRMC President and CEO Gene Faile said the expansion could be ready by early winter.

WRMC Chief Financial Officer Barry Wald said the project is expected to cost just over $517,000. Tuesday, the WRMC board of directors okayed his request to apply for a $250,000 grant from the Health Foundation Inc. to partially fund the expansion. The requested grant is “open,” meaning it doesn’t require a matching component.

Health Foundation Director Heather Murphy said the Health Foundation board will consider the grant request, and said she expected a decision by August. She said she would likely work with WRMC to find additional grant sources for the expansion.

Mrs. Murphy said the Health Foundation originally funded the dialysis center when it opened inside the hospital in December 1995. Several years later, as the need for additional chairs increased, the center moved to West Park, and has been expanded once since then.

Ms. Love said WRMC recently received accreditation from the state to provide training and operations needed for peritoneal dialysis, an at-home treatment.