Mayo Clinic Dialysis — Albert Lea Now Seeing Patients

Monday, December 05, 2005

ALBERT LEA, Minn. — Mayo Clinic Dialysis Services has opened a new regional dialysis center dedicated to serving patients in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa.

The state-of-the-art facility, built through an agreement with Albert Lea Medical Center — part of Mayo Health System, is located on the medical center's HealthReach campus, 1705 S.E. Broadway in Albert Lea. This 5,000-square-foot center includes 18 outpatient dialysis treatment stations.

Dialysis artificially removes waste from the blood in patients with kidney failure, preventing debilitating and ultimately fatal buildup of wastes.

"This new facility will meet the dialysis needs of our 46 area patients," says Robert Albright, D.O., a Mayo Clinic nephrologist and director of Mayo Clinic Dialysis Services. "The facility also will help Mayo Clinic Dialysis Services meet anticipated growth in the region's need for dialysis services."

The regional dialysis center combines the operations of the Mayo Clinic Dialysis Services unit at Austin Medical Center — part of Mayo Health System and the dialysis unit at Albert Lea Medical Center. Dialysis services began at the new regional facility on Monday, Dec. 5.

Mayo Clinic Dialysis Services is based in Rochester, Minn. Dialysis patients receive the majority of their care from their local physicians. Care will be directed by visiting Mayo Clinic nephrologists who are supported by full-time nurses working at the regional dialysis center.

Mayo Clinic Dialysis — Albert Lea joins a network of Mayo Clinic dialysis centers in communities throughout southeastern Minnesota, northern Iowa and western Wisconsin. Mayo Clinic Dialysis Services also offers outpatient dialysis and renal diagnostic services in Fairmont, Owatonna and Wabasha, Minn.; Decorah, Iowa; and La Crosse, Wis.

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To obtain the latest news releases from Mayo Clinic, go to www.mayoclinic.org/news. MayoClinic.com is available as a resource for your health stories.