Kidney Dialysis Firm Has Plenty To Handle At Two Kaneohe Sites

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Fresenius Medical Center manager Sunny Ku (center) sits in one of 24 dialysis chairs outfitted with music, games and Internet access at its Koolau Center clinic. Joining him at special open house last month were sons Preston (left) and Wesley. Photo by Byron Lee, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Fresenius Medical Care opened its newest kidney dialysis center in Ahuimanu valley a few months ago, and it’s already got a waiting list for patients needing service.

“We take a lot of the patients from our Windward City Shopping Center clinic, too, as they run long hours over there,” said Sunny Ku, manager of the clinic at Koolau Center.

“It’s good for their patients and staff.”

Fresenius has 1,600 dialysis centers nationwide, and eight of them are on Oahu. A new one will open soon in Waipahu. They all exist to make sure the “growing population"of those with kidney disease - primarily from complications of diabetes - have the vital cleansing they need each week. On average, a patient is hooked up to a dialysis machine for three hours, three times a week,Ku said,although it varies with each person and condition. The Koolau site and its 20 healthcare professionals treat around 53 patients each week, from Windward residents to tourists who come down from Turtle Bay. Health plans and Medicare pay for the service, which can run into “hundreds of dollars.”

“A highlight of our Koolau center is that we have a backup generator for the power outages,“he said.“It just kicks in when needed,and the patients aren’t even aware of it (possibly because they’re engaged in Internet games,watching programs or listening to music on their individual, state-of-the-art, touch-screen media systems). “Windward City does not have a backup system,” he noted.

“When there is a black out, we are the building that still has the machines and the lights on at Koolau Center.It’s important for the patients’ lives.”

The Fresenius clinic is located at the theater end of the shopping strip, near the Subway outlet. Hours are 6 a.m. to 4:30 pm. Monday through Saturday.

For more information, call 239-3400.

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