SSM Health Waupun Memorial Hospital will be consolidating its dialysis center facilities in Beaver Dam and Waupun into one newly remodeled facility at N8131 Kellom Road in Beaver Dam, conveniently located off Highway 151. SSM Health Waupun Memorial Hospital has been offering outpatient dialysis services for patients who live with end-stage renal disease for more than 50 years. Dialysis is the process of removing excess water and toxins from the blood in people whose kidneys can no longer perform these functions naturally. The demand for dialysis services has grown across the country due in part to an aging population who often experience a higher rate of kidney-related diseases. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of kidney failure and has dramatically increased in the United States. The National Institutes of Health estimates more than one in 10 Americans over the age of 20 suffers from diabetes. The 7,900-square-foot facility will feature 16 patient care stations and one isolation station for high-risk patients. SSM Health Waupun Memorial Hospital will have the capacity to treat up to 64 patients per week. The new facility will provide more patient care space; large windows in treatment area; more spacious lobby area for welcoming environment; enhanced parking; newer facilities equipment, such as heating and cooling, and water systems. “We’re excited that this newer facility will help us continue to enhance our patients’ overall care experiences in a facility designed specifically for dialysis services,” says Diane Posthuma, SSM Health Wisconsin regional dialysis director. “Through our new design, we will have access to more efficient spaces, which will help our staff be as productive as possible. We also know that overall, we will operate in a more energy efficient building.” Depending upon their medical diagnosis, patients frequently have to spend up to four hours per day, three days a week connected to dialysis machines, which is why a clean, inviting facility and friendly caring staff of health professionals is important. Construction on the $2.5 million project is slated to begin in December 2023 with completion by spring 2024. “We’re committed to providing comprehensive care to people living with chronic kidney disease so that our patients can lead fuller lives,” Posthuma says. “Our focus has been to provide high-quality, convenient dialysis services locally, and this new location will bring state-of-the-art equipment and the highest quality care to those patients and families that we serve.” Social work staff will work individually with each patient to ensure a smooth transition between facilities, including transportation needs, treatment days and times, and any other questions that might arise. “Throughout this entire process, which has been more than a year, our plans have focused on how we can continue to enhance our services, always keeping our patients as the top priority,” according to Amanda Hopp, SSM Health Greater Fond du Lac Hemodialysis manager. “We are so fortunate to have caring staff who are always looking for ways to provide the most positive experience possible for those we serve.”
