NORWICH – A relatively small population of patients traveling outside the county for kidney dialysis treatment makes the high cost of acquiring the life-saving equipment prohibitive for Chenango Memorial Hospital.
According to Chief Medical Officer Michael F. Trevisani, the Norwich-based hospital did an intensive review of a possible purchase about three years ago.
“We found the cost of setting up such a program prohibitive,” he said, adding that there hadn’t been any more recent discussion about it.
Dialysis is primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function in people with renal failure.
Currently, those who require regular treatments must travel to hospitals outside the county, in Cooperstown and elsewhere. But if they have to rely on public transportation, they may or may not be able to get there.
Chenango County First Transit is authorized by the Chenango County Department of Social Services to take only Medicaid patients to appointments outside the county. It doesn’t have the authority to cross county lines.
Chenango County Area Agency on Aging Services Coordinator Brian Wessles said his agency hasn’t received a lot of complaints from seniors who need transportation to dialysis treatments, but some do call for assistance.
The organization has no framework for transportation.
“If they are not on Medicaid, we advise them to contact Public Transit and get connected with an existing trip, but I believe that charge can be outrageous for them. They have to pay for drive time, sitting time ... the clock still ticking while the bus waits. And of course they are sick and old and confused,” he said.
Members of the Chenango County Public Works Committee and First Transit discussed the dilemma at a meeting of the committee earlier this summer. A couple from Smyrna were on the agenda to report that they couldn’t get to Basset Hospital in Cooperstown for appointments.
“Some creative thinking is needed to see if we can come up with a solution,” said Chairperson Linda E. Natoli, R-City of Norwich. Natoli suggested a dialysis clinic would be “the perfect” service that might keep the former Oxford veteran’s home building occupied. The home is slated for demolition soon.
Town of Smyrna Supervisor James Bays recommending including DSS in discussions about “this important” opportunity for the veteran’s home.
The committee agreed to investigate the policies and protocols for coordinating non-Medicaid public transportation needs with Medicaid transportation.