New dialysis centre opened – better services for patients

On 2 December 2009 one of the world’s largest dialysis centres opened in Donaustadt, the 22nd district of Vienna. Thanks to 72 new dialysis places for about 430 patients, the dialysis demand in Vienna is covered for the next ten years.

The demand for dialysis treatment – a blood cleaning process that is used for substituting the normal duties of the kidney – is increasing annually by six to twelve per cent. Currently, there are about 800 dialysis patients in Vienna. Their number is growing as society is ageing. Chronic diseases such as diabetes may lead to kidney failure and consequently dialysis treatment may become necessary.

Increasing the number of dialysis places

“Since 2007 we have doubled the number of dialysis places in Vienna. The Dialysis Concept of the City of Vienna has been realised by opening the Donaustadt Dialysis Centre“, explained Vienna’s Executive City Councillor for Health Sonja Wehsely. Once the dialysis centre works at full capacity, a total of 216 dialysis machines will be available in Vienna for more than 800 patients. In view of the treatment facilities at the hospitals of the City of Vienna and of the Vienna Health Insurance Institution for Employees, including Hanusch Hospital and Barmherzige Brüder, Austria’s capital has enough dialysis places to meet the demand of the next decade.

Pioneering and innovative cooperation

The costs of the Donaustadt Dialysis Centre built within just 15 months total almost 16 million euros. By putting the new centre into operation, 40 new jobs were created. The Federation of Vienna Hospital Association, the Vienna Health Insurance Institution and the religious order of the Brothers of Charity collaborated in erecting and operating the centre based on an innovative approach to cooperation between public and private institutions. The investments are shared by the Health Insurance Institution and the City of Vienna at a ratio of 30 to 70, the running costs are divided at a reverse ratio. The Brothers of Charity were put in charge of running the project. They will manage the new dialysis centre in line with their credo “Do good and do it well“.

Father Fischer is convinced of the fruitful cooperation: “This cooperation ensures a high level of medical and nursing competence benefiting the dialysis patients and safeguarding high quality care on a long-term basis.“ Chairwoman of the Vienna Health insurance Institution Ingrid Reischl also stated enthusiastically: “To me, this project sets an example in overcoming the obsolete compartmentalisation in the health sector.“