NOT ENOUGH MACHINES/ BEDS in Manitoba/winnipeg

[huldafolk]

I was just made aware that we do not have enough units available in our only major city in Manitoba/Canada for the demand for dialysis.  The older gentleman beside me was asked if he would mind switching to a rural site for the coming week due to a lack of machines/beds for the # of patients requiring hemodialysis. He must show up at our downtown dialysis center by 10:00 am and then take a TAXI ride out to the rural site in Morden, about 1.25 hour drive away , and dialyzes in the afternoon then get taxi ride back to city when done. The hosp. will cover expenses and provide lunch and supper for him and another individual that is going with him for dialysis as well. I would imagine that they are not the only ones being asked to do this. There is a huge increase in the number of diabetics that are requiring treatment as well as an increasing number of elderly patients coming in for treatment. Lack of forsight in planning by our health department. and regional health authority.  Not being asked to clean up units or anything like that yet, but seems like it might get to a point that treatment may not be available for some that need it!!!.  what a system.

[boswife]

Wow!! simply amazing!!!!!!  That would be quite a trip comming home if your not feeling so hot either..  Im guessing they best be getting to start another center...  Im amazed!

[greg10]

I was just made aware that we do not have enough units available in our only major city in Manitoba/Canada for the demand for dialysis.  The older gentleman beside me was asked if he would mind switching to a rural site for the coming week due to a lack of machines/beds for the # of patients requiring hemodialysis..

Welcome to the forum and I hope the situation will work out better for you and your companions in the near future.
From the little I have read, Manitoba has a dialysis patient population of about 1200, which is not many comparing to other larger North American cities where you could have 20,000 to 30,000 patients.  The problem in Manitoba seems to be a need for a more equitable distribution of resources across a large geographical area, where the rural population who were doing poorly with dialysis could be better served.
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/182/13/1433

The local government seems to have begun an expansion of renal care programs in various locations across the region:

PROVINCE INVESTS OVER $5.5 MILLLION TO EXPAND DIALYSIS AT HEALTH SCIENCES CENTRE, SEVEN OAKS GENERAL HOSPITAL
Construction is underway on 10 new dialysis stations at the Health Sciences Centre (HSC) and an additional six stations at Seven Oaks General Hospital as part of the province’s $21-million investment to enhance renal health services across the province, Health Minister Theresa Oswald announced today.

http://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?archive=2009-8-01&item=6394

[Bruno]

We have a similar problem in NSW, and although renal services have been decentralised it is still possible for country folk to have a hour's drive to a facility and the same back. The area is just too large.
We have some success with home training, but that service is not suitable for everyone.

[del]

Huldafolk I am in Newfoundland. When hubby was doing in center we had an hour and 15 minute drive.  There were people who came to that center who had at least a 3 hour drive (and that was if the weather was good).  13 years ago when hubby started dialysis (luckily he was able to do PD then ) there were only 2 dialysis units in Newfoundland and Labrador - St. John's and Corner Brook. Corner Brook was the closest one to us and that would have been a 3 hour(or more) drive each way.  There are several more units open in Newfoundland now but some people still ahve a long way to drive.  I'm not sure if the dialysis unit in Labrador is open yet. People who live in Labrador if they need hemodialysis they have to move to the island part of the province.  Home hemo dialysis is becoming a big thing in Newfoundland.

[Riki]

My dialysis unit recently expanded, from 7 chairs to 9 chairs.  Of the 4 centres in my province, ours is the biggest, and we occasionally have to send overflow from here (Charlottetown) to Summerside, with is about an hour to the west, or Souris, which is about an hour and a half to the east. I'm lucky that I haven't been one of the ones asked to go to other centres.  It seems that it's mostly those who began in the last year that are asked to go to other centres.

[huldafolk]

I started off in hospital for the first few months, and was transported by bed.  After I was well enough to go home, I was 1.25 hour drive to the north of Winnipeg.  I did the drive for about 4 months , even had times post dialysis that I was driving home with "tunnel vision". I had to stop that , so we moved the entire family and my wife got a new position in winnipeg, as well as the children starting off in new schools, daughter in last year of high school when we moved, and had to graduate out of a new school in Winnipeg, My son entered a new group of friends in grade 8 when we arrived. I had to sell my professional practice and retire due to the dialysis and poor health.  Kidney disease is a terrible thing for the extended family!!!.