Facilities in Traverse City and Frankfort get the highest marks for quality
Munson Healthcare dialysis facilities in Traverse City, Frankfort and Kalkaska have received high quality marks from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Munson Dialysis Center in Traverse City and Elizabeth Hosick Dialysis Center at Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital in Frankfort both received 5 stars for the quality of their programs and care, while Kalkaska Dialysis Center received 4 stars.
Munson Healthcare System Director of Dialysis Services Georgia Wilson said the ratings compare the local facilities with those nationally across the country.
“The star rating speaks to the quality of care provided by our staff and the entire nephrology team,” she said. “Just 10 percent of the nation’s dialysis facilities are rated 5-stars and 20 percent are 4-stars. It really is a highlight of what we have done at our facilities.”
The rating system evaluates facilities in nine areas including mortality rates, hospitalizations, blood transfusions, incidents of hypercalcemia where too much calcium is in the blood, percentage of waste removed during hemodialysis in adults and children, percentage of waste removed from adults during peritoneal dialysis, percentage of AV fistulas or permanent access devices that help prevent infections, and percentage of catheters in use more than 90 days.
“They are looking at how well our patients are being dialyzed both at home and in the unit,” Wilson said. “They also look at the number of patients who receive transplants which speaks to their overall health and care.”
Munson Dialysis in Traverse City has 18 dialysis stations. The facility dialyzes 90 -95 patients three times a week. It also has 30 patients who use home dialysis and see the dialysis team monthly.
The Elizabeth Hosick Dialysis Center has 10 chairs and dialyzes 12 -15 patients three times a week. However, that number expands greatly during summer months with visitors who use the facility while on vacation in the region. Kalkaska’s facility has 12 stations and like Frankfort provides important dialysis treatments for vacationers as well as the local community.
The updated ratings will be posted on the CMS dialysis facility compare website in October.
For more on Munson Healthcare Dialysis Services go to munsonhealthcare.org/dialysis.