Some Charlottetown patients must travel to Summerside for dialysis

A group of six dialysis patients from Charlottetown has been adding some travel miles to their treatment times. Since December, they've been making the trip to the Prince County Hospital, three times a week, for their dialysis treatments.

A higher-than anticipated number of patients needing dialysis in the Charlottetown area has filled the Queen Elizabeth Hospital seats to capacity. The number is almost double the normal increase from year to year.

"The QEH is also where we provide acute care so if someone comes into ER and needs dialysis right away, they are dialysed in ICU and then we need to have a seat available downstairs," explained Cheryl Banks, director of hospital services for Prince County and provincial renal program.

"That's the area that's having the biggest impact at this point in time."

Some of the more stable patients have been asked to make the trip to Summerside, three times a week.

"That's certainly a very difficult decision to make, it's not easy for anyone to be travelling," said Banks.

"We definitely look at their stabilityso how sick they are," she continued. "Whether or not they're fit for travel is number one and foremost in our mind to make sure that people are safe."

"And then we look at more of a seniority base, who was put on dialysis last and what resources they have in place to help them."

Health PEI is offering support to the patients, offering either a $50 weekly gas stipend or a seat on a shuttle between Charlottetown and Summerside.

"We've grouped the patients so that they're all going together," said Banks. "So that when they get there, it's somebody that they know that they're having dialysis with and that they're having it at a regular time"

She says the group has been very receptive to the shuttle, especially during the winter months.

Banks says if anyone refuses to travel for treatment, she looks at why.

"But for the most part the patients are understanding and they realize that there are only so many seats and as soon as we possibly can we will get them back to their home site."

Banks says the Provincial Renal program has set up a Peritoneal Dialysis program, where patients receive treatment in their home. She says with peritoneal dialysis, they place a catheter in their belly, instill fluid in their belly and then drain it out themselves.

"It's more of a home-based therapy and allows them more independence," added Banks.

"Our goal is to try to get as many people that are appropriate - because not everyone is appropriate for peritoneal dialysis - on to peritoneal dialysis which will free up some seats in hemodialysis," explained Banks.

Banks says there is also the possibility of expanding to a third shift in the dialysis unit at the QEH.

Hemodialysis is also available at the Souris Hospital and the Western Hospital in Alberton.

"Dialysis is one of those moving targets," said Banks. "We never know how many people are coming into the system with the amount of chronic disease that's out there, the diabetes."

"People requiring dialysis is on the increase and we need to continue to keep our pulse on it and do our best to work with the patients and work with Health PEI to increase capacity as we see it's required."