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Last month, Mid-South Nephrology Consultants opened the doors to their new Midtown facility.

Tall windows, handy gadgets and open spaces highlight the contemporary building that was designed to make patients as comfortable as possible while undergoing dialysis.

After St. Jude Children's Research Hospital became interested in buying the clinic's old location on North Parkway, physicians saw it as an opportunity to expand their territory. Medical director Jacinto Hernandez said it was important to stay close to the Methodist hospital system in Midtown and to continue serving that community.

"I think … we should serve where the patients are," said Hernandez. "I'm here to support Methodist and patients in this area who really need this."

According to Hernandez, 30 to 50 percent of dialysis patients in Midtown are diabetic and many of them are in a lower socioeconomic status. In part because dialysis can take up to five hours per session, it can be difficult to motivate those patients to remain consistent with their dialysis treatment, so the team at Mid-South Nephrology wanted to create an environment where people are more likely to come for treatment.

"We wanted to have a completely different look," said Hernandez, noting that many nephrology centers in the Midtown and Downtown area look like houses. "People spend three to five hours here and we wanted the architectural landscape to make patients feel comfortable. They see light and color. We want a clinic conducive to relaxation."

To achieve that mission, the building was constructed with long, oversized windows to allow for continuous light and to supplement an open-air environment. The goal is for patients to see their dialysis center as a warm and more tranquil place where they can feel at ease, instead of dark spaces they prefer to avoid. With 15,000 square feet to work with, the design conveys an airy, retreat-like appeal.

"I like light, so when we consulted with the architect, I gave ideas about what I wanted," Hernandez said. "I wanted to have light everywhere and a unique building, totally different from a regular clinic."

The large treatment area is spacious and open with plenty of individual perks. Not only is comfort important, but entertainment as well. There is a plasma TV in each unit, with on-demand movies, cable channels and DVD players. Patients can bring movies from home or choose from a bank at the clinic. In addition, they may bring family members who can utilize computers with internet access or watch movies while they wait.

"Patients are so excited," said Hernandez. "It's like getting a new car or a new toy."

The clinic is readily prepared for power outages with a large generator that supplies the entire building. Hernandez said the clinic will be able to support emergency dialysis for the area 24/7 should there be the need. If any nephrology centers in the immediate area cannot support their patient load during an emergency, those patients may be sent here.

Hernandez said he thinks this new nephrology clinic will revolutionize the area because the property is distinctive — there is no other clinic in town that offers its distinctive, patient-based comforts.

"They are much freer in their surroundings," Hernandez said. "People tell me, 'Doc, this is our second home.' For some patients, we are their only family. This is their home. We are sensitive to those needs. This is about patient service and comfort."



December 2006

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