Expanded dialysis unit serves more patients

Lloydminster team builds capacity and comfort closer to home

Story by Heather Kipling | Photos by Gayleen Froese

LLOYDMINSTER — When Bryon Horton received word that he could receive his hemodialysis treatments in Lloydminster, he didn’t hesitate to jump at the opportunity. Now, not only is his commute for treatment significantly reduced, but he’s among the first to experience the new dialysis unit in the border city.

Horton and more other patients than ever before now receive their dialysis treatment in a bright, expanded unit which served its first patients at the Community Services Building on Sept. 9.

Previously, dialysis was provided at the Lloydminster Hospital, where 20 patients — 11 from Alberta and nine from Saskatchewan — received treatment multiple times per week. However, the demand for dialysis in the region had outgrown the available space, meaning some patients had to travel to other communities for care.

“I was driving from Marwayne to Vegreville, spending over three hours a day on the road each time I needed to go for treatment,” says Horton. “Now the trip is much shorter, which is wonderful. And this space here (in Lloydminster) is bright and comfortable. I’m very happy to see this unit up and running.”

The new dialysis unit is currently able to accommodate 24 patients — and all patients on the waitlist as of Sept. 16 who requested dialysis treatments in Lloydminster have been accommodated.

Currently operating six stations Monday to Saturday, the unit will begin operating all nine of its stations on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays later this fall, further boosting capacity as more staff are recruited.

“We know that it’s important it is for our patients to receive care and treatment as close to home as possible, and that traveling for care can be a burden for some,” says Janice Thompson, patient care manager with Alberta Kidney Care-North, Alberta Health Services (AHS). “The opening of this unit is an exciting enhancement to renal dialysis services in the community.”

Hemodialysis is the process of cleansing the blood of toxins and excess fluid when normal kidney function is reduced. A patient’s blood is filtered through a dialyzer and returned to the body. Treatment, which can take four hours, is often required three times a week.

Thompson adds that the unit’s larger size means more stations to serve patients from Lloydminster and surrounding area, and the additional square footage also brings improved patient privacy and more comfortable spaces for care teams to do their work.

Expansion of the dialysis unit here has been a joint effort between AHS and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) over the years.

The project received $6.2 million in funding from the Government of Alberta’s Rural Health Facilities Revitalization Program. In addition, the Lloydminster Region Health Foundation, through donor support, provided about $170,000 towards the expanded unit. These donations have also supported patient comforts such as bedside TVs which help patients like Horton pass the time.

“The Lloydminster Region Health Foundation is incredibly thankful to Alberta Health Services and the Saskatchewan Health Authority for their dedication and teamwork in completing the Lloydminster Dialysis Relocation Project,” says Stephanie Munro, CEO, Lloydminster Region Health Foundation.

“We’re especially grateful to the generous donors from our community and region whose support made this vision a reality.

“Thanks to them, the new unit is built not only for the needs of today, but for growth in the future, with patient comfort and care at the heart of every detail. This project is a true example of what we can achieve when we work together.”