St. Peter's Health Medical Center announces new dialysis and nephrology department

Helena – St. Peter Medical Center's $5 million dialysis and nephrology unit makes dialysis transfusions and transplant treatment more comfortable for patients.

Roy Moreno has been undergoing dialysis since 2018. He pointed out a few things he says are major improvements in the new facility.

“These chairs are much more comfortable than older ones. There's a toggle here and you can button it up here. It's a vibrating chair and a massage chair,” Moreno said.

The comfort of a treatment chair may not be a concern for the average person, but it can make a huge difference during dialysis treatment. Dialysis treatment can last 4-5 hours.

The new facility will have the ability to treat up to 50 patients in the dialysis and nephrology department. Clinic manager Alice Luer says the new building has been taking a long time.

“On Friday, March 13, 2022, we had a large drainage failure in our old and old units, and we had to move to the surgical unit to continue our dialysis treatment.

Michael Wolf, MTN News

She detailed how the new facility could help St. Peter's patients.

“For patients with chronic kidney disease, dialysis treatment can be more comfortable.”

The new clinic includes rooms to prepare patients for home care. St. Peter said about half of the patients manage dialysis treatments at home. The ultimate goal is for the patient to undergo a kidney transplant. Eight patients have been undergoing transplants over the past year.