Brooks Memorial Hospital

A new dialysis center is on the horizon for the northern Chautauqua County region, but it may not open until the fall of 2017.

Alicia Patterson, a spokeswoman from DaVita, indicated the company is eyeing a location on Vineyard Drive at the former Tops Markets location.

“Currently, we are awaiting final approval from the (New York state) Department of Health,” Patterson said in an email to the OBSERVER.

Brooks Memorial Hospital in Dunkirk currently does dialysis treatments, but has a backlog of patients. Some are going to Jamestown or elsewhere for their treatments.

As Brooks continues to explore locations for its planned new facility, dialysis is a part of the discussion. At a meeting in the fall, Mary E. LaRowe, chief executive officer at the hospital, said she knew of DaVita’s plans for Dunkirk.

“We’re in conversations with them to see if there is a way to collaborate with them,” she said. “Historically, in the past, I believe we looked at getting out of the dialysis business and so what we’re trying to do is partner where we can.

“We want to make sure services remain available in our community.”

DaVita is the parent company of DaVita Kidney Care and HealthCare Partners. It is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, delivering dialysis services to patients with chronic kidney failure and end-stage renal disease.

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