Fresenius Medical Care North America, the operator of the nation’s leading network of dialysis clinics, recently opened a new clinic in Greensburg to help patients suffering from renal failure.

Lost kidney function accompanies many afflictions and diseases. When a kidney is healthy, it maintains the body’s internal equilibrium of minerals, water and blood. Dialysis treatments replace some of the kidney functions that may be lost in a patient’s body.

To help those afflicted and in need of dialysis treatment, the Fresenius Medical Care of Tree City opened its doors in March. The Medicare-certified facility is located on North Michigan Avenue and in front of the Morning Breeze Retirement Community.

The local clinic offers not only treatment, but a kidney transplant support program, anemia management, nutrition counseling, bone disease management and social worker support as well.

Fresenius Medical Care of Tree City features 12 dialysis stations, each equipped with a number of amenities designed to make the treatment sessions easier to handle. The stations include a modern individual touch screen entertainment system with headsets that feature satellite television, Internet service, educational information, surveys and video games.

The patient’s chairs themselves are designed for comfort. Each is equipped with a heated chair that has optional massage features and several reclining positions.

And though recent storms and lightning have knocked out power to several businesses and residences, that is not a concern of Marilyn Stuart, RN and clinical manager of the local clinic or Valerie Snyder, the Fresenius Medical Care area manager for Southeast Indiana. The clinic has an emergency back-up generator that is designed to help preserve critical continuous care in times of power outages.

Stuart heads up the staff, which includes highly trained nurses and patient care technicians.

“We’re thrilled to be opening this advanced new treatment center, which enables us to serve the Greensburg area’s growing dialysis patient population,” Stuart explained. “Fresenius Medical Care of Tree City provides the highest level of quality care through innovative treatment methods, advanced dialysis technology and superior customer service.”

That customer service was extended to patients from Columbus and surrounding areas when the early June floods damaged other nearby facilities. Snyder noted that the clinic was glad to help.

According to Snyder, the Greensburg dialysis center has some of the best doctors taking the lead. Medical director of the clinic Dr. Russell Pikus, a nephrologist affiliated with Southern Indiana and Hypertension Associates, heads up the facility. Though he has the reigns on several other facilities, Snyder noted he is an excellent physician and devoted to the work.

“The goal here is quality care,” Snyder said. “Patients and quality come first.”

The clinic is so dedicated to its patients that employees constructed a hitching post outside to make arrival and departure easier for Amish patients. For Snyder, making patients feel welcome is a priority.

“For many of them, it’s a second home,” she said.

The Fresenius Medical Care of Tree City has gone to great lengths to make its patients feel comfortable while still getting state-of-the-art treatment for their conditions. Snyder is optimistic about the help she and her crew will be able to provide.