Jan. 14, 2008

CONTACT:
Communications Department
(320) 251-2700, ext. 74980

CentraCare dialysis services expand to Big Lake, Cambridge and Litchfield

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The CentraCare Kidney Program in Monticello is moving its dialysis services to the new Big Lake Clinic, operated by CentraCare Health System and Monticello-Big Lake Hospital. The Big Lake Dialysis Unit will have nine stations ready for patients on Jan. 23 -- a third larger than the Monticello program.The anticipated opening of CentraCare Kidney Program-Cambridge Dialysis is the end of March with 15 dialysis stations. The anticipated opening of CentraCare Kidney Program-Litchfield Dialysis is April with nine dialysis stations.

Affiliated with St. Cloud Hospital, CentraCare Kidney Program dialysis is a not-for-profit service which adheres to the hospital’s mission of improving the health and quality of life for the people it serves in a manner that reflects the healing mission of Jesus. The dialysis program aims to provide safe and effective high-quality care close to home.

The outpatient dialysis program has a broad reach providing 43,000 treatments a year. With the addition of Big Lake, Cambridge and Litchfield, dialysis services will be provided to nine communities including: Alexandria, Staples, Little Falls, Brainerd, St. Cloud and Princeton. The units provide hemodialysis, home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. In addition, St. Cloud Hospital provides continuous renal replacement therapy for acutely ill inpatients, therapeutic plasma exchange for patients with neurological problems, and aquapheresis to remove excess fluids from congestive heart failure patients.

Tom Leither, M.D., is the program’s senior nephrologist and program medical director. He and Dialysis Director Cathy Sindelir have been with the program since its inception in 1987.

To make a referral to dialysis services, please call the CentraCare Dialysis admissions nurse at
(800) 835-6652, ext. 24542.

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