Fresenius to close dialysis center at CCHC
Cloud County Health Center has been informed by Fresenius Kidney Care that it will not be moving its dialysis center into the new hospital facility under construction and will cease operations in early 2022.
Fresenius Kidney Care currently leases space at 1100 Highland Drive in a building that is scheduled to be torn down at the end of the lease. While the Health Center had allotted space for a clinic in the plans for the upcoming facility, the company informed Cloud County Health Center that its dialysis center is not financially sustainable.
“While we are disappointed to learn that Fresenius Kidney Care will not be moving into our new facility, they have pledged to ensure their patients have the support and time needed to find another option that works with their schedule,‚” said David Garnas of Cloud County Health Center. “Government insurance reimburses dialysis providers below the actual cost to provide treatment, forcing providers to rely on a mix of privately-insured patients. This issue, unfortunately, affects rural areas like Concordia, where patients have fewer options for care.”
Over the next year, staff at Fresenius Kidney Care Concordia, which currently treats 16 patients, will work with each patient and their nephrologist to ensure a seamless continuation of treatment, either with another Fresenius Kidney Care clinic, another dialysis center in the area, or the option to dialyze at home.
Dialysis is a treatment for kidney failure that rids the body of unwanted toxins, waste products, and excess fluids by filtering the blood, essentially replacing some of the lost kidney function. When kidneys fail, they are no longer able to filter the blood. Patients must either receive a kidney transplant, perform their dialysis treatments at home, or receive in center dialysis treatment three times a week.
Many experts agree that home dialysis — either peritoneal or hemodialysis — is the best option aside from transplant for treating kidney failure. Choosing home dialysis can mean fewer food restrictions, greater scheduling flexibility, less frequent transportation challenges, and better outcomes. This move toward home therapy reflects a national trend, aligning with the administration's recent executive order to increase access to home dialysis, which so often is the best treatment for patients, empowering them to participate in their own care in the comfort of their homes.
Whatever treatment option you choose, it is important to know if you are getting the right amount of dialysis. Tests should be done regularly to check the amount of dialysis you receive. For more information, speak with your doctor and your dialysis care team.
For additional information, please refer to the following resources:
*Dialysis Facility Compare — Find information about dialysis centers that offer home hemodialysis training programs. www.medicare.gov
*Home Dialysis Central — Learn about home dialysis options, talk to other patients, find out if a dialysis center near you offers a home hemodialysis program. www.homedialysis.org
*National Kidney Foundation www.kidney.org