A nightmare scenario for any hemodialysis center – the loss of electricity – turned into an exercise of quick-thinking and cooperation between two of our dialysis teams.
Severe thunderstorms swept through the greater St. Louis area the weekend of July 9, 2021, and knocked out power to over 40,000 people. WashU Nephrology’s DaVita West Dialysis unit, located at 400 North Lindbergh, was in an affected area and lost power early Saturday morning.
With patients due to arrive for their Saturday dialysis session, Max Edele, Facility Administrator at DaVita West, and his team came up with the plan to have their patients taken to the DaVita DeBaliviere Dialysis center in the Central West End for their dialysis.
“Max and his team worked diligently to get the patients to DeBaliviere to dialyze 36 patients,” says renal Nurse Practitioner Lisa Koester-Wiedeman, MSN, CS, CNN-NP. “This took an enormous effort as the Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday shift is heavy with nursing home patients that rely on transportation.”
“This is why we do the work we do,” says Edele. “Thank you all so much! It takes a village, and I was SO proud of everyone. Our two PCTs (patient care technicians) who are both just out of training were brilliant!”
Edele admits that the effort was an “adventure” having their whole DaVita West team and patients at another clinic, but it was a good experience from which they all learned.
In addition, Edele says a huge thanks goes to the DeBaliviere team for their support and for welcoming all into their clinic. Joyce Wynn Lemons, Group Facility Administrator, and Tarallyn Anderson, Facility Administrator, both at the DeBaliviere center were instrumental in getting everything organized.
Fortunately, the power was restored on Sunday and the DaVita West unit is up and running!
THANK YOU to all involved, including:
- Max Edele, Facility Administrator
- Cindy Steiner, Social Worker
- Karen Keohan. RD
- Jackie Christian, Clinical Nurse Coordinator
- Tyler Royse, RN
- Tracey Bowers, PCT
- Sydney Coleman, PCT
- Aysha Terry PCT
- Sandra Pedrotti, Administrator Assistant
- Joyce Wynn Lemons, Group Facility Administrator
- Tarallyn Anderson, Facility Administrator
- Ryan Donnelly, Biomed Technician
- Marcos Rothstein, MD
- Lisa Koester Wiedemann, NP
Washington University School of Medicine holds joint ownership with DaVita of DaVita West and DaVita DeBaliviere. Marcos Rothstein, MD, WashU Nephrology, has been the Medical Director of both facilities since their inception.
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