Currently, Manitoba Renal Program is experiencing high demand for dialysis, particularly in our Winnipeg dialysis units. This week has been an exceptional circumstance in that several patients from Winnipeg dialysis units have either volunteered or been asked to dialyze at units located outside Winnipeg. This is a temporary measure.
If a Winnipeg dialysis unit becomes full and a new patient needs to urgently start dialysis there, other more stable patients may be asked to dialyze at another unit temporarily.
MRP asks patients to voluntarily move to another site, including nearby rural sites, just as rural patients sometimes have to dialyze in Winnipeg. When no volunteers are available, patients are selected to dialyze at another site on a short term basis.
Criteria for selecting which patients may need to dialyze at another unit temporarily includes patient’s medical stability, length of time the patient has been on dialysis and patient’s postal code.
Manitoba Renal Program is working on several ways to expand our capacity and resolve this issue. While we try our best to accommodate our patients, in order to meet the health care needs of all our patients an individual’s dialysis times and days, as well as dialysis unit, may change. Thank you for your understanding.