August 31, 2007

TIMMINS – The McGuinty government is improving access to dialysis services by providing an $8.7 million grant to support the relocation and expansion of an existing clinic in Timmins, Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman announced today.

"We want residents in Timmins to have access to the very best dialysis services available," said Smitherman. "This investment will allow the local community to get the care they need, closer to home."

The funding announced today will allow the hospital to relocate and expand its Dialysis In-Centre Unit, and double the number of dialysis stations from nine to 18. Five of the new stations will become operational by 2010-11; the other four will be ready by 2015-16.

The new In-Centre Unit will also house training rooms for home and peritoneal dialysis patients designed to improve their quality of life. It will also include an ambulatory clinic, as well as a self-care area, which will provide integrated dialysis services and result in more efficient care for patients.

"We are pleased to be moving forward with better dialysis services for patients in this part of northeast Ontario," said Esko Vainio, President and CEO of Timmins & District Hospital. "Patients will benefit tremendously from the convenience of improved hospital services closer to home."

Once completed, five of the nine new stations will provide an additional 4,680 dialysis treatments per year for 30 patients with kidney disease. Once all nine new stations are operational (by 2015-16), the In-Centre Unit will operate 18 stations. Together, these stations will have the capacity to provide 16,848 treatments per year to 108 patients with End Stage Renal Disease.

"This is great news for patients needing dialysis services in Timmins," said Mathilde Gravelle Bazinet, Chair of the North East Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). "The government has demonstrated its commitment to strengthening hospital services in Northern Ontario."

This is just one more example of how, working together, Ontarians have achieved results in health care services in the Timmins area. Other initiatives include :

• $1,481,715 in new funding in 2006 and 2007 to the Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board as part of an increase to the province's share of land ambulance costs;
• Two family health teams, who are already providing care to 13,304 patients, including 1,322 who previously did not have a family doctor;
• $2,981,952 in new funding for the Timmins and District Hospital, to provide an additional 12,826 procedures to reduce wait times.

Today's initiative is part of the McGuinty government's plan for innovation in public health care, building a system that delivers on three priorities – keeping Ontarians healthy, reducing wait times and providing better access to doctors and nurses.

For further information :

Members of the general public :
416-327-4327, or 1-866-532-3161

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