More people from Alberta and Saskatchewan will soon have access to kidney dialysis
Posted May 19, 2021 7:02 am.
LLOYDMINSTER – More people from Alberta and Saskatchewan will soon have access to a new six-station kidney dialysis unit in the border community of Lloydminster.
With $4.25 million from the Alberta government’s Rural Health Facilities Revitalization Program, Alberta Health Services (AHS) will open and operate a new larger dialysis unit on the Saskatchewan side of Lloydminster with enough stations to provide renal dialysis to 24 patients from both provinces with kidney disease.
‘No matter where you live in Alberta, it’s important that your health-care needs can be met as close to home as possible. Kidney disease doesn’t respect provincial boundaries, so we’re happy to work with our provincial neighbour to the east to make sure more people living in the Lloydminster area, no matter what side of the border, don’t have to drive far for treatment and dialysis’ said Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro in a release.
‘This commitment to expand and relocate the dialysis unit has been long-awaited in Lloydminster and the region. It will free up space in the Lloydminster Hospital for other priorities. We can add this accomplishment to a growing list of problems being dealt with by this Health Minister, and I am happy to support him in that,’ said Everett Hindley, Saskatchewan’s minister of mental health and addictions, seniors and rural and remote health.
In order to provide more treatment, the dialysis unit will move out of the Lloydminster Hospital to a medical space in the Prairie North Plaza on the Saskatchewan side of the city. AHS will operate the new six-chair unit, in collaboration with Saskatchewan Health Authority, with more room between dialysis chairs to improve patient safety, reduce concerns around infection control and improve both the patient experience and working conditions for staff.
The dialysis clinic will be able to serve 24 patients at the highest need for dialysis close to home. Space for an additional three dialysis chairs will also be shelled in for future capacity needs.
Dr. Verna Yiu, president and CEO of Alberta Health Services, says the project is expected to begin in the coming months. More detailed timelines will be shared once the work is underway.
