Dialysis unit celebrates 10th anniversary
Posted Dec 17, 2009 By EMC News
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By TARA GESNER
a cake-cutting ceremony was held. Taking part were, from left, Tim Carter, Board Chair, PSFDH, Pat Corrigan, patient care manager, ER
ICU, PSFDH, Maureen Charette, manager, Renal Care Program and Satellite Dialysis Clinics, KGH, and Debbie Hamilton, nursing supervisor, Dialysis Unit, PSFDH.
Staff Writer
EMC News - Dialysis in Smiths Falls celebrated a decade-long milestone last week.
Ten years ago Dec. 13, the Smiths Falls Community Hospital Foundation turned over a cheque for $1 million to Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital (PSFDH) Chief Executive Officer - Carolyn Manley, and Board Chair - Paul Howard, to launch the Dialysis program, which is jointly sponsored by Kingston General Hospital.
In the beginning, the program treated an average of three patients three days per week. "We started with three dialysis patients," said Pat Corrigan, patient care manager, ER/ICU, during a special anniversary celebration Dec. 9 at the Smiths Falls site of PSFDH.
They were the late John Hunter and Bob Trombley, and Vicki Swerbrick who has since undergone a kidney transplant.
Their friends and families, along with many members of the Royal Canadian Legion and other community groups, gathered that day in 1999 to celebrate the opening of the exceptional unit.
More than $700,000 was raised from the Smiths Falls, Perth and surrounding communities to bring dialysis to Smiths Falls.
"We are proud to be Lanark County's only hospital-based dialysis program serving Perth, Smiths Falls, Westport and Carleton Place," said Corrigan. "We are also the only program of its kind in the South East LHIN (Local Health Integration Network) with the exception of Kingston General Hospital."
All the way through the 10 years, the program has developed and grown and now treats 27 patients three days per week close to home - Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
"On a day like today... this is why we are proud to offer a dialysis clinic at Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital," said Tim Carter, Board Chair. "Health care close to home is vital."
Todd Stepanuik, the hospital's president and chief executive officer, echoed Carter's sentiments.
Even though a celebration was going on inside the hospital's Dialysis Unit last Wednesday, outside a snowstorm and blowing snow pounded Smiths Falls.
"Without this unit here, patients would need to travel to Kingston and Ottawa on a day like today," said Carter.
Success over the years has been significant to say the least. The organization has provided in excess of 30,000 treatments to patients with overall patient satisfaction continuing to be excellent.
"The commitment of patient care on a daily basis from everyone associated with the dialysis unit is truly inspiring," said Carter.
Others in attendance to mark the anniversary were: Maureen Charette, manager, Renal Care Program and Satellite Dialysis Clinics, Debbie Hamilton, nursing supervisor, Dialysis Unit, staff and patients.
