Despite the aging of Quebec’s population and the expected increase in demand for dialysis for kidney patients, the McGill University Health Centre is struggling with a decrease in its number of dialysis chairs — a decision that was imposed by the provincial government.
The Montreal General and the old Royal Victoria hospitals used to operate 49 dialysis chairs for nearly 300 patients. But the Quebec Health Department has decided to cut that number to 44, with about 30 fewer patients being treated at the MUHC.
Initially, the MUHC planned to open a satellite dialysis clinic last year in Snowdon at Décarie Blvd. and Isabella Ave.
“Just as we were about to sign the lease, the government said no, we couldn’t open it,” Evelyn Seligman recalled, a dialysis patient herself and member of the MUHC Users’ Committee. “They didn’t want to spend the money. It was all about the dollars.”
Read the full feature at the Montreal Gazette.