Dialysis Clinic Inc. unveils renovations to Fifth Avenue facility

ALBANY — For nearly 40 years, Dialysis Clinic Inc. has provided dialysis treatment for Albany-area community members who suffer from kidney failure. As part of an effort to better serve the community, construction was recently completed on its facility improvements at 337 Fifth Ave.

The clinic provides dialysis to those with end-stage kidney disease who spend a few hours there every other day.

The renovated DCI Albany facility offers 26 dialysis stations, new flooring, a new lighting system, an enlarged waiting room and free WiFi for patients to use while dialyzing. In addition, the new floor plan offers more space for each patient to dialyze in comfort.

“This was one of our first facilities,” said Portia Wooden, area operations director at DCI. “We wanted to make it brighter and more patient- and staff-oriented.”

The floor plan is more open now, which means all the patients can be more easily visualized, and a new color scheme is meant to give the appearance of sunlight due to the inability to provide windows.

“It wasn’t a huge difference (in space), but you can notice it,” said DCI Nursing Director Carolyn Brown.

The brighter environment is meant to help patients feel more at home, but it also has an impact on the staff as well.

“They are working in a brighter environment, and it increases morale for staff and patients,” Wooden said. “They are happier when working in this environment.”

When DCI first got started, there were nine patients being served in one unit. Officials at DCI did not give the number of its current patient base but did acknowledge that the demand for dialysis services has grown significantly since then.

“Due to the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in the area, there has been significant growth over the years,” Wooden said.

DCI Albany offers in-center hemodialysis from 6 a.m.-7:30 p.m, Monday-Saturday. Aside from providing dialysis, DCI also has a chronic kidney disease education program known as REACH Kidney Care that provides education about the early identification of chronic kidney disease and maintaining kidney health.

The education provided includes risk factors of kidney failure and how progression can be slowed down to at least prolong the onset of Stage 5, the point in which dialysis becomes necessary. The program has gone into venues including schools, doctors’ offices, health fairs and churches.

“We are involved in community education and patients’ physicians refer to us (for) education one-on-one,” Sharon Cooper, nurse manager for home dialysis and REACH coordinator, said.

The REACH program is based at a separate facility at 1210 N. Jefferson St. along with a home dialysis training center.

In East Albany, a 21-station center is operated by DCI at 1314 Radium Springs Road. A 25-station center is also located at 1921 W. Oakridge Drive.

Wooden said a facility is also under construction in Lee County, which has a completion goal of late this year.

More information is available at dciinc.org.