THE Warrnambool Base Hospital’s new haemofilter unit will spare at least 20 patients each year from transferring to Melbourne for acute kidney failure treatment.
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Midfield Meat International’s recent $100,000 donation paid for the $62,000 intensive care unit machine.
The remaining $38,000 will boost South West Healthcare’s $140,000 fund-raising effort to replace its 18-year-old fleet of operating theatre trolleys.
The addition of the region’s only haemofilter unit has already saved a Warrnambool woman from travelling to Melbourne for acute haemofiltration therapy.
Within 24 hours of the treatment, the patient’s kidney function had radically improved and allowed her to leave intensive care.
ICU manager Tina Johnstone said the new equipment had significantly cut down the patient’s time in hospital.
“Until now, this patient would have been transferred to Melbourne, away from her family and community,’ she said.
“She would also have had to stay in hospital longer.”
South West Healthcare ICU physician Dr Nick Barraclough said the machine would also provide safer care for people with renal failure, a condition with a high mortality rate.
“It’s similar to dialysis but it enables us to basically clean someone’s blood when there are lots of toxins floating in the blood,” Dr Barraclough said.
“If people have acute renal failure in this region it enables us to institute prompt treatment of the condition.
“In previous times it’s meant we’ve had to use less effective therapies and transfer the patients to Melbourne, which can often be quite dangerous in itself.
“It’s going to be mean patients are much safer when they’re in hospital, for a variety of reasons.”
South West Healthcare community partnerships manager Suzan Morey said the hospital was thrilled with the outcome after Midfield’s major donation.
“Every year our donors help us to establish new medical services by financing the otherwise unaffordable medical equipment needed to do so,” Ms Morey said.
“Our annual fund-raising plan always includes fund-raising for one or two never-before-owned medical equipment pieces that will help keep more of our locals local, instead of them having to be sent away to unfamiliar places and faces.
“This new haemofilter unit is the latest example of what can happen when a donor wants to make a significant difference.
“We are very grateful to Midfield Meat International for helping our community in this way.”
