The Ontario Renal Network's March 2021 Quarterly Report placed Halton Healthcare in the top five in the province for the number of patients on home dialysis. While this success can be attributed to a progressive Nephrology Program that empowers patients to dialyze independently, it also reflects a recent innovative collaboration between the Nephrology and the Surgery Programs to protect an already compromised patient population during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Home dialysis offers patients the most flexibility and allows them to live a life that is not defined by their kidney disease. Whether they choose hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, patients are provided with a 'menu of choices' as to when, where and how often they can dialyze," explained Dr. Sanjay Pandeya, Nephrologist and Medical Director of Home Dialysis at Halton Healthcare. "Patients can dialyze safely at home, at their own convenience, instead of having to come to the hospital three times a week. During the pandemic, it has allowed these individuals to stay home, protecting them from unnecessary exposure to other illnesses such as the flu and COVID-19."
"One type of home dialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis (PD), requires a specialized surgical procedure that was not offered at Halton Healthcare up until recently," continued Dr. Pandeya.
(Left to Right): Gail Burns, Director of the Renal Dialysis Program at Halton Healthcare; Dr. Ian Choy, General Surgeon, Halton Healthcare; Dr. Federico Pampaloni, General Surgeon, Halton Healthcare; Dr. Sanjay Pandeya, Nephrologist and Medical Director of Home Dialysis, Halton Healthcare
"Patients had to go to another hospital for this essential procedure as well as the consequent follow-ups - and this was a real limiting factor for many," explained Gail Burns, Director of the Renal Dialysis Program at Halton Healthcare. "We were determined to find a way to provide this procedure successfully here, closer to home, where our team could support patients seamlessly. This became even more important with the start of the pandemic."
Thanks to a recent collaborative effort between the Surgery and Nephrology programs at Halton Healthcare, this surgical procedure is now available to dialysis patients at Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH).
"We made this home dialysis insertion surgery a priority to protect this vulnerable patient population. With the support of our hospital leadership, and both the Surgical and Anesthesiology team, we now have regular dedicated operating room time for this procedure," explained Dr. Duncan Rozario, Chief, Surgery Program, OTMH. "Two of our General Surgeons, Dr. Ian Chee-Yen Choy and Dr. Federico Pampaloni work together to perform these surgical insertions. The first catheter insertion at OTMH was completed in February of 2020 and we have had amazing success to-date."
"Both Dr. Choy and Dr. Pampaloni are now an integral part of our Nephrology Program. They run their surgical consults right out of our Clinic so dialysis patients don't have to leave the Nephrology unit. The focus is on the patient experience," explained Dr. Pandeya. "We also have a dedicated Coordinator who supports the patient throughout their journey and liaises between the Surgical and Nephrology programs to ensure a seamless process."
"Our program focuses on supporting patients no matter where they are on their dialysis journey. We provide a comprehensive, hands-on training program for those pursuing home dialysis which continues to follow patients even after their transition home. Our physicians and clinical teams are committed to supporting our patients so they can achieve their best life possible," added Ms. Burns. "Our Independent Dialysis, has stayed open during the COVID-19 pandemic to help fast-track patients to home dialysis."
"Once we were able offer this new surgical procedure at OTMH more of our patients chose this way of dialyzing and our numbers increased, bumping us up to be fifth in the province for home dialysis," noted Dr. Pandeya.
"Achieving this provincial ranking recognizes the Nephrology program's commitment to excellence," noted Denise Hardenne, President and CEO of Halton Healthcare. "This collaborative effort demonstrates the profound commitment of both these clinical teams in supporting our patients closer to home and our vision of providing exemplary patient experience, always."