Three new dialysis units coming to rural N.S. communities

New dialysis units will be opened at three Nova Scotia hospitals as the province looks to expand and improve care for people needing the life-saving treatment in rural communities.

Health Minister Michelle Thompson said Wednesday the three dialysis units will be located in Springhill, Shelburne and Evanston. Each unit will have six stations.

"These new units will improve the lives of more Nova Scotian patients and their families by creating greater access to dialysis treatment closer to home," said Thompson. 

Renal dialysis is not a cure, but a treatment for kidney failure that involves using a machine to remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood, replicating the function of the kidneys.

There are currently 18 units across the province. The new unit will be the first for the Roseway Hospital in Shelburne, whereas the new units announced for All Saints Springhill Hospital and the Strait Richmond Hospital in Evanston will replace existing four-station units.

David Landry, senior director of Nova Scotia Health's renal program, said there are around 900 people in Nova Scotia who require renal dialysis. 

He added that most of the current units are at full capacity, meaning some people need to look elsewhere for their treatment. 

"From a dialysis perspective, we've always tried to achieve sort of no more than an hour for people to drive from their homes," said Landry. 

"We've had dialysis service [at Springhill and Evanston] for a long time, but they were sort of a temporary setup. So we're actually bringing them up to standard and get to continue to provide quality care that we provide to renal patients across the province."

Lengthy treatment takes a toll, says minister

Renal dialysis can typically last between three and five hours and is needed about three times a week. 

"Anyone familiar with the treatment knows the toll it could take on a patient," said Thompson. 

The cost of the new units is not yet known. Thompson said it will be around two years before the units are installed.  

Off-site construction of the units will begin once a vendor has been selected and the design process is complete.