CCH January 2018 Department Discovery: CCMH Dialysis Center

The Campbell County Health January 2018 Department Discovery shines a light on the Dialysis Center at Campbell County Memorial Hospital.

The Dialysis Center at CCMH provides dialysis treatments, testing services, support and education six days per week to meet the medical, financial, and social service needs of patients using hemodialysis and their families.

“Right now, we provide care to 30 patients who suffer from end stage renal disease,” says Lori Hoesing, RN, CND, the manager of the Dialysis Center. “Our patients spend 15 hours a week with us, and this can last several years. In fact, I cared for several dialysis patients for more than 10 years.”

Providing care like this allows staff and patients to build strong, family-like bonds, according to Lori. “It is such a privilege to provide care to dialysis patients.”

For those who don’t know, hemodialysis helps keep patients in kidney failure in reasonable health. Patients with kidney failure must remain on hemodialysis permanently, unless they switch to peritoneal dialysis or receive a kidney transplant. Patients receive outpatient dialysis treatment three days per week in the Dialysis Center. The Campbell County Health Dialysis Center also treats inpatients who need dialysis therapy.

The staff of 10 works under the direction of a Medical Director Dr. Robert Neuwirth, a Nephrologist, a doctor who specializes in kidney disease—a part-time social worker and part-time dietitian also provide support to patients when needed.

In 2018, the Dialysis Center is going to go through a growth spurt in their unit—growing from eight chairs to 10 to help meet the needs of patients in our region. The department is also working on a new way to check patient’s in when they arrive, as well as work on a nursing assessment process.

Lori says the best aspect of her unit is the teamwork that is shown and given there. “The Dialysis Center staff values the teamwork involved in providing excellent patient care. I’m proud to be a part of this team,” she says.

A big round of applause to the Dialysis Center Team! Thanks for helping to keep our patients happy and healthy. Learn more about the team at www.cchwyo.org/dialysis.