The Fayette Tribune, Oak Hill, W.Va.

Local News

February 25, 2013

Montgomery supports proposal for dialysis facility

By C.V. Moore Register-Herald Reporter

The City of Montgomery is supporting a proposal to develop a new dialysis facility in its city and say that it will be a boon for local patients who currently have to travel inconvenient distances for treatment.

Bio-Medical Applications of West Virginia — a subsidiary of Fresenius Medical Care — proposes a new 12-station dialysis facility that will offer traditional in-center and home dialysis in Montgomery.

Last week the city’s mayor made council aware of the facility proposed by the company, which must obtain a Certificate of Need from the West Virginia Health Care Authority (WVHCA) before plans can be finalized.

The city is sending a letter of support to the WVHCA.

“Dialysis patients from Montgomery and surrounding areas must navigate our rural highway system three days per week for each of their dialysis treatments,” writes Mayor James Higgins in the letter.

“Development of a new dialysis facility in Montgomery will reduce lengthy commute times, as well as ensure sufficient capacity for treating dialysis patients of the area.”

Health care providers in West Virginia must obtain a Certificate of Need before developing new health care facilities, part of an attempt to discourage unnecessary services and to promote community planning and public comment, according to the WVHCA web page.

Review criteria include need, financial feasibility, quality, accessibility and continuum of care.

Fresenius is a German company that claims to be the largest dialysis services provider in the world. It operates 2,100 dialysis facilities in North America alone.

The company made it on to Forbes Magazine’s list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies in 2011.

Bio-Medical Applications says the new facility will offer “technological superiority” and use single use dialyzers for every treatment.

They say the economic impact to the community will include a potential annual payroll of approximately $300,000 and an increase in the value of the building in which is housed.

If opened, the business would create more B&O taxes and circulate more jobs and wages through the community, said Dennis Jarvis of the Upper Kanawha Valley Economic Development Corporation.

The Certificate of Need application date is in March.

— E-mail: cmoore@register-herald.com

 

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