Advertisement

Fresenmus Medical Services, which operates more than1600 dialysis centers nationwide and approximately 47 in Michigan, will operate the clinic at 47 Dawson Street, next to Tractor Supply Company in the West Park Shopping Center.

An existing building is undergoing remodeling for the center, which will feature 12 reclining chairs for dialysis treatments.

While the closest Fresenius clinic is in Port Huron, approximately 25% of those patients reside in the Sandusky area, prompting the decision to open the clinic in Sandusky, said Michele Rackley, Detroit suburban area manager for Fresenius.

"We're going to open a 12-station clinic that will handle 72 patents", said Rackley. Patients receive three to four-hour treatments three times a week. Rackley anticipates about a third of the 72-patient capacity will be filled when the facility opens in April.

The clinic, which will provide touch-screen TVs and Internet access for patients at each station, will field a staff of 12 including nurses, technicians, social worker and dietician to meet the medical, social service and financial needs of patients with kidney failure.

"We provide a variety of methods of dialysis. We do in-center dialysis, and offer training for at-home dialysis," said Rackley.

"We're very excited about it. It will save a lot of people a lot of driving."

"I think it's going to be a great service to the community," said JoAnn Hall, CEO of McKenzie Memorial Hospital in Sandusky. "We know we have a sizable amount of patients that have to travel for that service...to Port Huron, Saginaw" or some place else.

"We're very happy they chose Sandusky. I think it's the right place to be. We have quite a bit of senior housing now, and a lot of dialysis (is a result of) diabetes problems that you see with the senior population."

She added, "We're going to work with (the clinic). They might need us to take care of emergency (laboratory) needs. Should we encounter a patient (at McKenzie) that need dialysis, they'll send portable equip-ment and trained staff to us. They've going to do some education for us as well, on some of the types of special issues dialysis patients have."

Fresenius Medical Services, a division of Fresenius Medical Care North America, provides ongoing dialysis treatments for more than 120,000 patients at more than 1600 facilities. The company employs more than 30,000 people and manufactures and distributes a variety of dialysis products, in addition to its dialysis care services.

For more information about the Sandusky clinic or any other Fresenius clinic call 866-434-2597, or online at www.fmcna.com