April 16, 2021

Residents at Good Samaritan Society – Sioux Falls Village are the first in the state to be able to receive staff-assisted dialysis treatment without leaving home.

Now, the treatment is offered on the campus, bringing residents more comfort and less upheaval in their day. Factoring in treatment and travel time, receiving dialysis could take up to six hours. Treatment in the den takes up to four hours.

The “hemodialysis den” was funded with help from a state innovation grant.

It’s also pioneering the use of this home hemodialysis model in the Sanford Health Good Samaritan Society footprint.

“The success could lead to the development of others like it across our footprint, providing the chance for even more residents to receive comfortable, quality home hemodialysis care,” said Nate Schema, vice president of operations for The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society.

Residents will have monthly appointments at the Sanford Dialysis Center to meet with their nephrologist, home dialysis nurse, dialysis social worker and dietitian for treatment review.

The on-site care team works with dialysis staff to set up treatment appointments, requiring just a short trip from the resident’s room to the den with no vehicle transport required.

Dialysis is administered by trained staff using a home hemodialysis machine that has the same safety parameters and alarms of a regular dialysis machine.

“Residents who receive treatment this way will save time and energy while remaining comfortable and cared for by specially trained staff that come to them, not the other way around,” said Maria Regnier, Sanford Health senior director of dialysis services.

Sioux Falls Village is at 3901 S. Marion Road.