Lachine Hospital's new dialysis unit delayed by 6 months

The McGill University Health Centre is six months behind in its plans for building a new dialysis unit at the Lachine Hospital, CBC Montreal Investigates has learned.

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The delay means some patients will temporarily remain at the Royal Victoria site, even as the latter loses its emergency room in the upcoming major move to the MUHC superhospital's Glen campus.

"That gives us many concerns, said dialysis patient Philippe Ouaknine.

"Now the dialysis unit at the Royal Vic will be the only thing going at the Royal Vic. If there’s any emergency, or any other service needed by a dialysis patient, they’ll have to transfer."

Ouaknine himself undergoes treatment at the Montreal General Hospital, and is therefore not immediately affected by the Lachine delay. But as a member of the MUHC patients’ committee, he’s been following the dialysis unit move closely.

"I don’t really understand how they kind of forgot about dialysis," he said.

Health minister responds

Responding to CBC's report, Health Minister Gaétan Barrette acknowledged the planning "hasn't been perfect."

But he said patients will continue to receive the care they require during the transition period.

"They will receive services in the proper way, and they will have access to the proper care if emergency care has to be provided," he said. 

"But I can guarantee you that all dialysis patients at McGill during the transition will be taken in charge.

"There's been some mishaps I would say, but there are solutions that are already in place."

Top-quality care a priority: MUHC

The MUHC had originally planned to open a satellite dialysis office on Décarie Boulevard close to the Glen campus by April, but the provincial health ministry did not grant it permission, putting the brakes on the project last fall.

The health centre then planned a new unit at the Lachine Hospital instead, but management said having to draw up contingencies meant pushing back plans by a few months.

I don’t really understand how they kind of forgot about dialysis.- Philippe Ouaknine, dialysis patient

"We have to air condition the space, we have to make sure we bring the appropriate ventilation in, we have to move some activities out," said Imma Franco, the MUHC’s interim director of planning, technical services and real-estate management.

Franco added the MUHC is doing its best to continue providing the care everyone needs.

"There’s going to be a reorganization of the acuity of the patients, so that the really sick ones are not there, so that it’s more the autonomous patients that are there [at the Royal Vic], that can be cared for in a satellite environment that doesn’t have an emergency room," she said.

Delay no surprise for some

News of a longer waiting period for Lachine Hospital's dialysis unit was no surprise for Martin Munger, the executive director of the Kidney Foundation of Canada’s Quebec branch.

Munger said the delay was to be expected after Quebec shut down the original plan for the Décarie satellite office.

He said his bigger concern throughout the affair had been the lack of communication with patients.

"I think in this case the patient didn’t have enough information and was very anxious," Munger said. "Their health situation is already difficult. They don’t need to have these kind of difficulties around that."

Munger said he will be keeping a close eye on the situation now to make sure the health centre keeps patients up to date. 

CBC Montreal Investigates

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