Dialysis patients panic

MORE than 50 dialysis patients who go to the St Augustine private hospital for government-subsidised treatment were left in a state of panic last week, as doctors told them they will now have to foot the bill for their treatment or be turned away.

The patients said they were told the government had not paid their subsidies to the dialysis department for eight months, racking up a debt of $2.3 million.

A source at the hospital told Newsday, on Thursday Dr Richard Poon King – head of the department, distributed letters to patients informing them that the hospital would be unable to continue operating the machinery or pay the staff. It means patients would have to pay as much a $1,100 per session, if they are not covered by insurance, or seek treatment at another facility. Some patients are required to have dialysis as much as three times a week.

Newsday understands government would usually absorb 75 per cent of the cost and the patient would pay the rest.

Upon being told of their options several patients, many of whom are elderly and retired, started to panic and some even cried.

They complained they did not feel confident that they would get the same level of treatment at other facilities because some of the equipment are “run down.”

Several other private institutions are also being owed, Newsday was told.

When told of the situation yesterday, the Ministry of Health said it was looking into it.

“The Ministry of Health views this as a very serious matter and is expeditiously conducting the relevant investigations to ensure that all patients are receiving the treatment needed,” said the ministry’s communications manager Candice Alcantara.