Ontario funding new dialysis unit for Kingston Health Science Centre
The Ontario Government has announced funding for a capital grant for up to $9.9 million for a new Dialysis Unit for Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC).
The funding announcement was made at noon today, Friday, Mar. 18, 2022, by MPP Robin Martin, Parliamentary Assistant to Minister of Health Christine Elliott, and Hastings-Lennox and Addington MPP Daryl Kramp.
“This is the very definition of good planning for a real future need,” said Daryl Kramp, MPP for Hastings-Lennox and Addington. “KHSC demonstrates once again that they understand both the community needs, and their capacity to meet them, and is moving to ensure there is no gap between need and capacity. The Government is pleased to provide this much-needed funding.”
This announcement comes just eight days after the grand opening of KHSC’s new Breast Imaging Kingston facility, whose focus will be on supporting individuals across eastern Ontario who require screening and precision diagnosis of breast cancer. The facility is outfitted with three brand new 3D digital mammography and three brand new ultrasound units.
KHSC currently provides hemodialysis services for the Kingston area at their Kingston General Hospital (KGH) site. According to a release from MPP Kramp’s office, the KGH hemodialysis unit was operating at 95 per cent capacity in the third quarter of 2021-22 and is projected to reach 100 per cent capacity by fiscal year 2023-24 to fiscal year 2024-25.
“Investing in Kingston Health Sciences Centre’s new dialysis unit is one more way our government is building a stronger, more resilient health care system,” said Robin Martin, Parliamentary Assistant to the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “This funding will ensure that patients and families in Kingston have access to the care they need closer to home and for generations to come.”
There is no additional physical space at KGH to add new a hemodialysis units at that location to meet projected community demand, so the new satellite unit will be constructed, according to the release. Kramp said that the current plan envisions locating the off-site dialysis unit in a community setting to accommodate the increasing demand.
“I would like to extend our sincere thanks to MPP Kramp and PA Martin, as well as the Ministry of Health and Provincial Government for this wonderful investment in kidney care right here in Kingston,” said KHSC President and CEO Dr. David Pichora. “We were extremely excited when we received word that we would be receiving funding to open a new satellite dialysis clinic as the expansion of services in Kingston has been the number one priority for our regional renal program.”
The hospital’s current plan for the off-site hemodialysis unit will immediately add more dialysis stations with room to add still more stations in the future to accommodate the expected increased demand for renal services over the next five to 10 years.