Renal unit benefits Bethesda patients

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This article was published 09/01/2024 (411 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The new renal unit has opened in Bethesda Regional Health Centre in Steinbach which will make the hospital the hub for dialysis in the region.

“This is absolutely a benefit to the southeast corner of the province because anybody from basically that entire quadrant was having to drive very significant distances potentially three times a week to get dialysis. It’s quite an important service for Steinbach and that whole portion of the province that was having to go quite a significant distance to receive their treatments,” said Kyle MacNair, implementation lead for clinical planning for Southern Health.

The six-bed unit will service 24 patients a week. It cost more than $4 million to build the unit on the main floor where the rehab, IV, and wound treatment area was. Prior to the construction of the unit patients had to go to Portage la Prairie, Boundary Trails, or Winnipeg to receive dialysis.

“Twenty-four is what they predict we’re going to need for this area at this point in time,” said MacNair. “You can run an evening shift, that’s what has happened as these units expand, so if you run an evening shift you can do three hours in the morning three hours in the afternoon and three hours in the evening. We can actually (add) another 12 patients in the future if that becomes something the population demands.”

The renal unit is the first phase of the hospital’s expansion having had a soft opening in October. The second phase is a new $60 million wing which will include three new operating rooms, more acute care medical and palliative care beds, and the expansion of the current lab into a larger area.

“We’re very excited about all the additional services that will be available at Bethesda when this expansion is done,” said MacNair.

MacNair also noted the hospital hopes to add more women’s health services to the OR capacity over time. These services include obstetrical and gynecological services. He also added that the hospital is already a hub for cancer care services and that the upgrading of the pharmacy will “allow us to continue to deliver that hub of cancer treatments services out of the site.”

MacNair said the Bethesda Foundation raised $8 million for the expansion, which allowed the hospital to

“envision all the things that we can deliver out of this new facility and really go and deliver them.”

The expansion of the hospital is expected to be completed in 2026-2027.