MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
October 26, 2012
Community and patients tour LHSC’s new Kidney Care Centre in Westmount Shopping Centre
LONDON, Ontario – Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care and MPP for London North Centre, joined hospital officials, the Ontario Renal Network (ORN), patients, community members and health care partners on a tour of the new 32,000 square foot Kidney Care Centre at Westmount Shopping Centre. The Kidney Care Centre will officially open for patient care on November 5, 2012.
“Our government remains committed to increasing access to kidney care services for all Ontarians. By locating these services in Westmount Shopping Centre we are helping bring them into community and out of the hospital,” said Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. “Today’s commitment on the part of the government builds on our Action Plan for Health Care which is about providing the right care, at the right time, in the right place.”
"This investment in kidney care is helping to make dialysis more accessible and keeping services close to home." said Chris Bentley, MPP for London West.
“LHSC is pleased to be able to offer dialysis and kidney care services to patients right in our community,” says Bonnie Adamson, president and chief executive officer, London Health Sciences Centre. “As a major health care provider in London and the region, it is important that LHSC remains a leader in providing innovative ways to provide exceptional patient care. Providing care in a community setting as opposed to a hospital will help promote a wellness environment, which in turn will enhance the patient experience.”
“By adding dialysis capacity and educational programs at this innovative new clinic, together we are responding to patients’ needs in London,” says Rebecca Harvey, Vice-President, ORN. “The Westmount Kidney Clinic supports the strategic priority in ORN’s provincial plan to provide access and quality care to patients at home or as close to home as possible.”
The Kidney Care Centre will enable the remaining renal services at South Street Hospital and Baseline Road to move, while providing much needed additional hemodialysis capacity to meet growing patient demand.
Once fully functional the Kidney Care Centre will provide the following services and resources to approximately 1,200 patients yearly:
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In-facility hemodialysis treatment for chronic dialysis patients on an outpatient basis
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Peritoneal and home hemodialysis assessment, training and maintenance
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Chronic Kidney Disease clinics and health education
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Aboriginal resource room containing Aboriginal medicines, resource information about Aboriginal cultures as well as Aboriginal arts and crafts
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Support centre for the regional satellite dialysis units
The Kidney Care Centre will also include the support centre for the regional satellite dialysis units.
About London Health Sciences Centre
London Health Sciences Centre has been in the forefront of medicine in Canada for 137 years and offers the broadest range of specialized clinical services in Ontario. Building on the traditions of its founding hospitals to provide compassionate care in an academic teaching setting, London Health Sciences Centre is home to Children’s Hospital, South Street Hospital, University Hospital, Victoria Hospital, two family medical centres, and two research institutes – Children’s Health Research Institute and Lawson Health Research Institute, a joint research initiative with St. Joseph’s Health Care London. As a leader in medical discovery and health research, London Health Sciences Centre has a history of over 50 international and national firsts and attracts top clinicians and researchers from around the world. As a regional referral centre, London Health Sciences Centre cares for the most medically complex patients including critically injured adults and children in southwestern Ontario and beyond. The hospital’s nearly 15,000 staff, physicians, students and volunteers provide care for more than one million patient visits a year. For more information visit www.lhsc.on.ca
About The Ontario Renal Network (ORN) - The Ontario Renal Network (ORN), part of Cancer Care Ontario, provides overall leadership and strategic direction to effectively organize and manage the delivery of renal services in Ontario in a consistent and coordinated manner. Priorities include establishing consistent standards and guidelines for renal care, planning for service delivery, and putting in place information systems to measure performance.
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For media inquiries contact:
Marek Kubow
Corporate Communications and Public Relations
London Health Sciences Centre
519-685-8500, ext. 75155
Backgrounder
LHSC’s Kidney Care Centre
How many patients will visit the Kidney Care Centre (KCC) each year?
1,200 patients will visit the KCC yearly. Approximately 20,000 Canadians require dialysis.
Who will use the KCC?
The KCC offers both medical services as well as educational resources to patients. Patients who have some form of kidney disease or even kidney failure will use the KCC for frequent dialysis treatment. Others will attend the chronic kidney disease clinic to receive therapy and education to prevent or delay kidney failure. Patients will also receive education for home dialysis.
What services and resources will be available to patients of the KCC?
The following services and resources will be available to patients of the Kidney Care Centre when it is fully functional:
- In-facility hemodialysis treatment for chronic dialysis patients on an outpatient basis
- Peritoneal and home hemodialysis assessment, training and maintenance
- Chronic Kidney Disease clinics and health education
- Aboriginal resource room containing Aboriginal medicines, resource information about Aboriginal cultures as well as Aboriginal arts and crafts
- Support centre for the regional satellite dialysis units
How often will people visit the KCC?
Patients who receive dialysis visit the KCC three times a week for approximately four hours – many are accompanied by family members or friends. Patients who attend the chronic disease clinic have appointments every three to six months. The amount of visits depends on each patient’s individual needs.
What are the KCC’s hours of operation?
The KCC will be open six days a week from 7 am to 10:30 pm.
What is the benefit of having dialysis and kidney care services at Westmount Shopping Centre?
Patients using the services and resources at the KCC are relatively healthy. Providing care in a community setting will help promote a wellness environment, which in turn will enhance the patient experience. The new Kidney Care Centre also features brighter spaces and free parking.
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