Continuing to improve health-care delivery in Calgary

Through Alberta’s Infrastructure Maintenance Program, Alberta Health Services (AHS) received $1.35 million to expand hemodialysis capacity at the Peter Lougheed Centre. The Calgary Health Foundation also donated $1.37 million, bringing the total investment to $2.72 million for this project.

Hemodialysis provides essential life-extending treatment for those living with kidney disease. The addition of nine hemodialysis stations will expand capacity to treat more patients now and in the coming years. Two of the new stations are now operational.

“Alberta’s government remains committed to maintaining and revitalizing the health-care facilities and hospitals so many Albertans rely on every day. Renovation projects are essential to modernizing our facilities so they offer the best and safest health services possible, in all corners of the province.”

“The upgrades to the hemodialysis unit at the Peter Lougheed Centre will benefit more people in the northeast area of Calgary who require this vital service. Without these new stations, patients would have to travel outside the area for dialysis. Having this additional capacity means patients can receive treatments closer to home.”

“Projects like these help maintain our facilities and ensure our patients receive quality care in the best environments. It is vital we keep our health-care infrastructure current and up to date. We are grateful for the support of the Alberta government and the Calgary Health Foundation in making this project a reality.”

“With the rising demand for hemodialysis in Calgary’s northeast, this investment is important in ensuring the best care is available at the Peter Lougheed Centre. Requiring hemodialysis is disruptive and time-consuming for patients living with kidney disease. We are especially grateful to RED-FM and the south Asian community for their generosity in ensuring that more patients can be cared for in the community in which they live.”

The government also provided AHS with an additional $2.7 million through the Infrastructure Maintenance Program to improve the air handling and ventilation systems in Peter Lougheed Centre’s operating rooms. These upgrades will further improve patient and staff safety by reducing the risk of airborne pathogens and reducing the risk of infection in the surgical suites by supporting negative pressure environments.

Quick facts

• Peter Lougheed Centre’s Hemodialysis - Kidney Care Unit has expanded from 10 stations to 19 stations, with 12 stations currently operational. As the projected need for hemodialysis continues to grow in the coming years, more stations will become operational.
• Prior to this investment, the Peter Lougheed Centre was supporting 235 patients with 9,000 hemodialysis treatment runs per year using the existing 10 stations. Opening two new stations allowed the unit to complete 11,000 hemodialysis runs last year for 290 patients.
• Most dialysis patients need three treatments every week. Each treatment lasts four hours.
• Peter Lougheed Centre’s hemodialysis program primarily supports outpatients from northeast Calgary and surrounding communities.