For Immediate Release:        Friday, February 15, 2008                       

Contact:                           Ingrid Goodwin (206) 292-2771, ext. 5357, or ingrid@nwkidney.org

NEW Dialysis facility DOUBLES AS Regional Emergency Resource and Kidney Education Center – “Not another like it in the State”

Federal and County Support help develop unique resource

Seattle, WA – A ribbon-cutting ceremony with Congressional and south county leaders will occur at 11 a.m. on Thursday, February 21, at the Northwest Kidney Centers’ (NKC) new state-of-the-art kidney facility. 

The new center offers a multitude of essential community services in a spacious 27,000-square-foot facility directly east of SeaTac Airport.  The public and anyone interested in learning more about kidney disease and its treatment is welcome to attend the February 21 Open House.  The event begins at 10 a.m. and concludes at 1:30 p.m.  In addition to the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the festivities include informa­tion about kidney disease, tours, blood-pressure checks, refreshments and door prizes.

SeaTac Kidney Center and Pavilion, located at 17900 International Blvd. South, SeaTac, WA, is a 25-station dialysis unit for NKC’s patients and for visitors to the region that need dialysis.  An epidemic of kidney disease requires additional treatment resources, and the State of Washington recently gave approval for NKC to expand services in South King County.

In addition, the SeaTac center includes a conference center, a classroom, skills- training laboratory and a computer-learning center as part of the “Dialysis Academy.”  The Academy educates NKC staff and also offers training to health-care providers from the region and state including physicians, nurses, dialysis technicians, pharmacists, dieticians, and other health-care professionals.

SeaTac Kidney Center and Pavilion can serve as an important health-care hub in south King County should disaster strike.  In the event of natural disaster, bad weather, pandemic or terrorism, SeaTac Kidney Center and Pavilion is available to expand to 32 stations and serve as an emergency resource for NKC patients and others needing dialysis.  “Because this unit is large and centrally located near hotels and restaurants, dialysis patients from the state or the greater Northwest region can come to this location to receive treatments until conditions allow for their return home,” said Palmer Pollock, NKC Vice President of Planning and project manager.  He noted that repeated dialysis is required for people with kidney failure; without services, after approximately one week, a patient is at risk for death.

The new facility has a large emergency generator, allowing for continued operations during power outages.  It also contains a phone call center, supported by 16 computers, to serve as a communication command center during emergencies.  “We are now better equipped to call our patients and to take their calls during an emergency,” Pollock stated.  “We invested nearly $5 million in this project, the largest in our history.  As a result, there is not another dialysis facility like this in the State.”  

Congressmen Adam Smith and Dave Reichert will speak at the ceremony, and be recognized, along with Representative Jim McDermott, for working in unison to secure a $277,000 federal appropriation this year to support the surge capacity and emergency service aspects of the center.

“We want to offer our thanks to Representatives Smith, Reichert, and McDermott for their bi-partisan effort to improve the kidney health of this region.  The non-profit Northwest Kidney Centers – and this community – appreciate their efforts to improve emergency health services in our state.  This is a gift that the community will treasure,” stated Joyce F. Jackson, NKC President and CEO.  In addition to the federal allocation, the Seattle/King County Health Department authorized a $24,000 grant towards the development of the emergency call center.

“At each of our 12 locations, we have valued becoming part of the community.  In this case, we took that philosophy to greater lengths,” said Jackson.  NKC is willing to allow non-profit and governmental organizations with a mission to improve community health to use the conference and training facilities.  The Seattle/King County Health Coalition, an emergency services planning group, and the State of Washington Department of Health’s Chronic Care Collaborative Program are already using the center for meetings and training.

About the Northwest Kidney Centers:  Northwest Kidney Centers, established in 1962 as the world’s first outpatient dialysis facility, is a model for saving and sustaining the lives of people with chronic kidney disease and focuses on improving the quality of patients’ lives.  A not-for-profit organization staffed by a skilled, knowledgeable team of 525, NKC provides personalized care for patients in the Puget Sound region and is the central community resource for kidney disease prevention, treatment and education.  A world pioneer in home dialysis, Northwest Kidney Centers is dedicated to developing innovative treatment options and promoting research to find the cure for chronic kidney disease.