Hospital Section Masthead

Dialysis Unit

On August 28, 2008, the Ross Memorial Hospital officially opened its new 15-station Dialysis Unit, as part of the Haliburton-Kawartha-Pine Ridge Regional Dialysis Service. At full capacity, the unit can accomodate 90 patients per week.

Peterborough Regional Health Centre serves as the ‘hub’ of the regional program providing medical, biotechnical and other professional training and support to its satellite locations.  Currently, Peterborough Regional Health Centre supports a satellite location at Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg. 

What is dialysis?

Dialysis is a treatment for kidney failure.

The kidneys remove waste and excess water (fluids) collected by, and carried in, the blood as it flows through the body. The cleansed blood returns to the heart and re-circulates through the body.

Chronic kidney failure occurs when the kidneys lose their ability to do their job.

One treatment for kidney diseases is hemodialysis. In hemodialysis, blood is passed through an artificial kidney called a dialyzer, which does the work of healthy kidneys.  Most hemodialysis patients receive their treatment in a specially designed renal unit that is usually associated with a hospital. 

Patients travel to the unit to use one of the dialysis machines 3 to 4 times per week. A treatment lasts 3-4 hours per patient, allowing each machine to treat 2-3 patients per day.