State-Journal.com
Dialysis chairs go high-techBy Andrew Huggins
November 5, 2007
A kidney failure diagnosis usually leads to dialysis " a blood filtering process that removes toxins from the body since the kidneys no longer can.
Dialysis usually takes four hours and needs to be done three times a week to be effective.
"That changes the way you do things some times," said David Chadwell Sr., a patient at Frensius Medical Care since August. "You've got to plan around it."
Personnel at Frensius Medical Care decided that since patients have to spend so much time in dialysis, they want that time to be enjoyable.
"This is something that the company has given a lot of thought about," said area manager Marsha Evans. "What is the patient doing during that time?"
Frensius' solution: provide individual touch screen monitors for each chair in its Frankfort's dialysis center.
"We're the first center to have this in the area and I think one of the first in the country," Evans said.
Frensius is the world's largest provider of dialysis products and services. In 1996, Frensius USA merged with National Medical Care to form Frensius Medical Care North America and it now has more than 1,500 clinics helping 115,000 patients.
The touch screen monitors offer many forms of entertainment " XM radio, Web surfing, games, TV and various educational information.
Some patients use the Web to pay bills while they wait.
Evans said most other dialysis centers have some form of entertainment, but patients have to share TVs.
"(Here) you can watch what you want to," Chadwell said.
"We're trying to think of the person in that chair," Evans said.
Patients with something to do ensures they remain the full time necessary to complete dialysis.
"(The monitors) will help us meet our compliance because after three hours, some patients leave because they're bored," Evans said.
That can create a serious situation for the patients, Evans said.
Treatment removes toxins, but also helps keep potassium levels balanced. Shortening the amount of time for treatment will affect levels, which under certain circumstances can be fatal.
Chadwell and Evans say they hope the monitors prevent that from happening. "If people are looking for a place to come, this is it" Chadwell said.
http://www.state-journal.com/news/article/2809672Photo By State Journal/Andrew Huggins
David Chadwell Sr., watches TV on one of Frensius Medical Center’s new individual touchscreens, which patients can use to listen to XM radio, watch TV, surf the Web and play games while they undergo dialysis treatment.
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