News & Events: Media Releases

New Dialysis Unit- a fast-track for private patients awaiting dialysis treatment
& A destination for holiday-makers on dialysis

26 September 2006

The newly opened dialysis unit at Cairns Private Hospital is providing immediate access for private patients awaiting dialysis treatment.

The private unit’s four renal dialysis chairs combined with the hospital’s existing eight public chairs takes capacity from 32 to 48 patients per week.

CEO Richard Lizzio said until now private patients in need of dialysis treatment joined public patients on a priority list. Sorry don’t want to say anything about waiting times as it might be picked up as a negative by the press and we can’ the seen to be critical of the public hospital.

He said private patients will be given priority in this new unit. However, excess capacity stemming from these new chairs would be offered to public patients and private patients from elsewhere seeking a tropical getaway.

“Already we’ve had patients visiting Cairns for the first time. Just last week, we cared for a man who was on his first holiday in years…his first holiday since undergoing Renal Replacement Therapy.”

“The opening of these four private renal dialysis chairs is only the first step towards building a comprehensive renal service for Cairns. We also believe the availability of a private renal unit in Cairns will help to attract a second renal physician which would be an excellent outcome for Cairns and Far North Queensland.”

“End-stage renal failure is a cruel disease in that it can drastically restrict a patient’s lifestyle, because in order to stay well they have to be hooked up to a blood cleaning machine for 4-7 hours three times a week. It makes travel a little daunting for many patients,” Mr Lizzio said.

From Cairns Private, Michael Posselt, a businessman from the Gold Coast said of his first trip to Cairns, “If it wasn’t for the unit, I wouldn’t be on holidays.”

“This unit is supplying a great service in an area of health where there is an immense shortage.”

Mr Posselt is on a waiting list for a kidney transplant and has been on dialysis for a year. “If I go without dialysing for three days I’d be very unwell. On the Gold Coast I do home dialysis. I get home from work, jump onto my machine and use the time to catch up on paper/ computer work. At home I have two, seven hour sessions and one, five hour session each week. On holidays I’m having three, five hour sessions.”

It is a little known fact that Renal Disease has the second highest incidence of chronic disease, behind cancer. The latest models issued by the Kidney Foundation predict a growth in new cases of between 19-47% by 2010.