Provincial Renal Program to be Established

Nova Scotia's health-care providers are working hard to develop programs that better prevent, diagnose and treat renal disease.

"More and more Nova Scotians are suffering from renal disease, which is being shown by an eight to 10 per cent growth in demand for dialysis services every year," Health Minister Angus MacIsaac said today, Nov. 1. "We hope that a provincial renal care program focused on prevention, diagnosis and treatment, will help turn this situation around."

In-centre dialysis treatment is currently offered by health organizations in four centres -- IWK Health Centre and Capital Health in Halifax Regional Municipality, Cape Breton District Health Authority in Sydney, and South West Health in Yarmouth. Capital Health also offers a satellite dialysis system in nine sites across the province.

During the autumn of 2004, a group representing these organizations and the Department of Health began looking at the challenges faced by patients and by the providers delivering dialysis services.

The group arranged for an external review of the satellite service this summer.

The reviewers recommended development of a provincial renal care program that emphasizes prevention, through health education and early identification of chronic kidney disease, and the development of standards for quality, equitable care throughout the province.

"Capital Health has partnered with the Department of Health and other district health authorities to begin to develop a Renal Care Program for Nova Scotia," said Brian Butt, health services director for Capital Health's hemodialysis program. "This partnership, supported by newly created provincial standards, improved education and early disease identification, will ensure better care and access for all renal care patients in Nova Scotia no matter where they live."

The reviewers also recommended that all satellite dialysis clinics provide the same level of care for staffing, physical facilities, and relationships with the district health authorities.

The Guysborough Antigonish Strait Health Authority has agreed to partner with Capital Health to pilot the new program at St. Martha's Hospital in the spring of 2006.

The review and the two initiatives are funded by $750,000 announced during the 2005-06 budget. In the last few years, the Department of Health has funded about $10 million to expand dialysis services in Cape Breton and Dartmouth.