SWEETWATER COUNTY – Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County has received a temporary license to move their Dialysis unit from its current location to the recently constructed Medical Office Building. The move takes place Monday when the first patients will be treated.

Dialysis patients typically spend 3-4 hours a day, three times a week receiving treatment at a dialysis facility.

“Its almost like a job,” Chief Nursing Officer Deb Gaspar said about the amount of time patients spend being treated.

In order to make the patient experience as comfortable as possible the new location has many new characteristics that will set it apart from the current location. It is bright, modern and spacious with a great view of the Sweetwater County landscape. The suite is also much larger and will double the current available occupancy for Dialysis patients.

The machines are state-of-the-art, Gaspar said that there is only one other water system in the entire country like the new location has.

The dialysis process can be very water intensive taking up to 30,000 gallons of city water to treat patients.

Gaspar said the new machines are not only better for patients but more efficient in terms of water usage.

The equipment has better patient safety alarms and the unit’s layout has more space between stations and is also equipped with an isolation room for the possibility of a patient that needs dialysis and is stricken with an infectious disease.

Delays From the State

Delays in receiving the necessary occupation permits had put off the opening until now. Construction on the new dialysis unit was completed in July 2014 and the initial engineering survey was complete in November 2014 but corrections had to be made that were not reviewed until March 2015.

The resurvey was completed at the end of March and the Wyoming Department of Health was notified around April 20th and they issued the license April 30th.

New staff has been hired in anticipation of the move and to comply with federal regulations due to the increase number of chairs in the new clinic.

The recently received license is temporary and only allows the operation of four-of-the-eight-chairs because the old clinic only has four chairs. When the final license is granted all eight stations can be used.

An open house for the public is planned in May with the date and time to be announced.