Fresenius Medical Center

[kitkatz]

How about some cable TV people?  Do you know how long six channels last me? About five minutes!  Come on folks! I sit there for four almost five hours flipping through those same channels hoping something different will come on.  I watch PBS kids programming because there is NOTHING else on in the afternoons! Cable! Cable! Cable!

[jonn r]

what no cable.........wow that sucks

[flip]

I couldn't make it thru dialysis without my cable and wifi.

[mysty]

We'll see how the one Keith goes to down here goes.  Will fill you in.  It'll  be middle of May
He's going to visit the other ones too and make sure which one suits him best
and such.

Fingers crossed he finds one he can deal with. (is it too much to hope he likes one?)
I'm going to go to make sure they speak English.
That or crash course poor Keith in Spanish.   

Darn.. that means he will know what I mumble under my breath in Spanish won't he? 

[terry3004]

When I was in-center, I was at a Fresenius clinic.  It was a clinic they took over from Renal Care Group, and they had cable.

However, I went to a Fresenius in Atlanta, and they didn't have cable.

I was told, before I changed to NxStage, that Fresenius is in the process of putting DirecTV and internet access into all their clinics.  I know that one of the centers down here has it already and they are working on getting the system into all their centers.

[Chris]

My center only had basic tv reception, no cable. I never watched tv because during my time it was talk shows, soap operas, or kids crap. Nothing I cared for to watch. They needed the Speed Channel in there for the guy's!

[flip]

Fresenius is building a new clinic here. They are advertising heated massage chairs with touch screen TV and internet. I won't be switching because I like where I am.

[aharris2]

We'll see how the one Keith goes to down here goes.  Will fill you in.  It'll  be middle of May
He's going to visit the other ones too and make sure which one suits him best
and such.

Fingers crossed he finds one he can deal with. (is it too much to hope he likes one?)
I'm going to go to make sure they speak English.
That or crash course poor Keith in Spanish.   

The unit we used in Miami is a Fresenius unit and they did have cable. Creole is the second language there.

[flip]

and the first one is Spanish

[Rerun]

Invest $80 in a portable DVD player.  There are plenty of movies out there old and new.  It takes up at least 1.5 hours if not the full 3.  Life Saver for me on dialysis. 

That and ICE which I don't get anymore!!!

[flip]

or $200 in a good used laptop...you can do movies, music  or just surf the internet. I never notice the time and sometimes wonder where it went.

[mysty]

and the first one is Spanish

No actually.. I am hispanic, live in miami.. but my first language is english..
she meant at the center.. not the city.'

I've picked up some creole.. if im around it long enough it gets a lot easier.

[KT0930]

When I was on hemo, I went to two different Fresenius clinics in the Atlanta area and both had cable. I don't know about wi-fi, but no one mentioned it, so I guess not.

[kitkatz]

I have a DVD player to take with me.  I just think of the injustice to the patients not having cable.  We sit for four hours there three days a week.  Fresenius in San Berdoo are you listening?

[flip]

My center actually has DVD players and laptops available for patients who don't own one. They also have a large inventory of movies and books on DVD.

[joannalee74]

Fresenius is building a new clinic here. They are advertising heated massage chairs with touch screen TV and internet. I won't be switching because I like where I am.

Yes! The new Fresenius center that they built in Independence, MO has heated massage chairs and touch screen computers that access the internet, games, and even xm radio! If I ever need dialysis...I'm going there!!! 

[kitkatz]

The NEW center has all of this stuff, meanwhile back at the ranch...

[flip]

The new one here is even offering incentives to get patients to switch.

They are also advertising for Dialysis Technicians "No Experience Necessary, Will Train"

[joannalee74]

The new one here is even offering incentives to get patients to switch.

They are also advertising for Dialysis Technicians "No Experience Necessary, Will Train"

haha  I didn't mean it like that! I just think it's a good improvement. 

[joannalee74]

The NEW center has all of this stuff, meanwhile back at the ranch...

I'm sorry  Maybe I should keep things like that to myself?

[Hawkeye]

I agree that all the clinics should have at least basic cable for the patients to watch but in some cases (not all) the fact that there is no cable tv is not the clinics fault.  If the clinic is in a building that is leased (the majority of the clinics) it has to be ok'd by the building owner before they can do anything with cable or sat.  One of the clinics I have worked at just got cable about a year or so ago.  It was in an 8 story office building and Comcast would only wire the place if the whole building was done and Fresenius wasn't about to pay for that.  After enough of the tenants complained (mostly medical in the building) the owners finally broke down and payed for the install.  I would talk to the Manager about it and if that seems to get you no where I would start a petition and have all the patients sign it.  Give a copy to the Manager and send another to the Area Manager and Medical Director.  They can't ignore that the patients have spoken.  Fresenius does have a project underway that will get all clinics that can have DirectTv installed up and running with sat.  The wireless thing is part of the chairside roll out so if you have chairside computers you should have wireless as well (Sorry former RCG clinics though you have chairside type systems it's not the same system).  Eventually all clinics are being upgraded to the new system where the TV at the patient station has everything you need for entertainment.  It just takes time to upgrade all the clinics Fresenius has.

[keith]

mysty did u make it down here

[kitkatz]

Wire me up quick!

[Lori1851]

Roxy,
Dustin would like to take his laptop . Thing is they don't or won't let people use them. I could get Dustin a wireless card but without access its not gonna matter.
Lori/Indiana

[Hawkeye]

Roxy,
Dustin would like to take his laptop . Thing is they don't or won't let people use them. I could get Dustin a wireless card but without access its not gonna matter.
Lori/Indiana

That depends on the type of wireless card you are talking about.  The center doesn't have to have wireless access for you to use a wireless card from a phone provider.  It basically turns your laptop into a cellphone to access the internet through the cellphone system so if cellphones work it should too.  They are a bit pricey and come with a monthly bill just like a cellphone though.