New center helps those on dialysis

Date: 2/10/2010

Feb. 10, 2010.

By Kaitlyn Schroyer

Staff Intern



AGAWAM -- Nearly 400,000 people in the United States are on dialysis today; about 800 reside in Massachusetts alone. The demand for dialysis centers is rising and a new center in Agawam, with the help of On-Site Dialysis in collaboration with American Renal Associates, is working toward this demand being met.

The new Genesis HealthCare Dialysis Center opened June 30 and is located at 65 Cooper St. at Heritage Hall South. It is connected to the nursing home and became one of eight dialysis units in Western Massachusetts.

"The need for this center is gigantic," Dr. Jonathan Slater, the center's medical director and nephrologist, stated. "The demand is growing constantly."

Dialysis is the process of cleaning wastes from the blood artificially. Dialysis is required when patients have weakened kidneys. Patients will usually have kidney disease, diabetes or end-stage renal disease. The treatment is on average four hours long and is very tiring for the patients.

Before this center was built, patients from Agawam and the surrounding areas would have to travel in vans to a center in Springfield. Going through this transportation is not only a hassle for patients, but dangerous.

"There was just a patient who is now in the hospital because she fell during the transportation process and fractured her hip," Slater explained. "It greatly increased the risk six times a week carting them to and from treatment."

With the Genesis HealthCare Dialysis Center at the nursing home, patients can simply go down a hall for treatment. Patients receive dialysis in comfortable, quiet suites specifically designed for dialysis services. Some benefits of the new facility include on site peritoneal and hemo-dialysis treatment by licensed outpatient dialysis providers, a physician available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, experienced RNs, LPNs and technicians, patient controlled TVs with cable, heat and massage dialysis chairs, and wireless Internet for patients that bring laptops and full use of a Sirius radio.

Mary Franti is 92 years old and before the building of the new center, had to wake up at 5:45 a.m. to travel with her family to receive her dialysis treatment. Now, she is five to 10 minutes away from the new center.

"It's a short ride from my home now," Franti said. "The place is very nice and new and the staff is a good bunch of girls."

The center is not only for those residing in the nursing home at Heritage Hall. It also serves the community.

"All patients are welcomed," Nancy Renna, RN and Unit Clinical Manager, commented. "There is a mix of clientele and its growing rapidly."