Our Church Campus offers comprehensive Nephrology services including the General Nephrology Clinic, Home Hemodialysis Services, the Multi-Care Kidney Clinic, and now, the Transition Care Unit.

Yesterday marked the official grand opening of the Transition Care Unit (TCU) at Humber River Health’s Church Campus.

Humber’s Nephrology Program currently performs approximately 62,000 hemodialysis treatments annually. At the Church Campus, we offer comprehensive services including the General Nephrology Clinic, Home Hemodialysis Services, the Multi-Care Kidney Clinic, and now, the Transition Care Unit.

What is the Transition Care Unit (TCU)?

The TCU is a home-like environment for patients who are new to dialysis. It encompasses a four-week program that helps both patients and their families adjust to life with kidney failure.

The TCU enables patients to receive home dialysis training in a more realistic home-like environment. Over the course of the program, patients work alongside the kidney care team and craft a customized dialysis treatment which is best suited for them and their specific needs.

Over the course of the program, patients work alongside the kidney care team that consists of nephrologists, dialysis nurses, dieticians, social workers, and coordinators.

Each member has a different role throughout the patient’s dialysis journey, from helping them manage kidney care and helping patient’s adjust their lifestyle to the new changes, to educating patients on the treatment options and navigating the Nephrology program.

In the first two weeks of the TCU program, patients meet members of their kidney care team and learn more information about dialysis, the different options that are available, and the best care options for their health while being on dialysis.

By the last week, patients have a better understanding of what type of dialysis treatment is best suited for them, whether that is peritoneal dialysis, home/nocturnal hemodialysis, and in-centre or self-care dialysis.

Thanks to the support of our donors, Humber continues to uphold its promise of accessible healthcare by developing programing like the TCU, which empower patients with greater flexibility and autonomy over their treatment.

History of Home Dialysis at Humber

In the late 1990s, Humber became one of the first hospitals in North America to establish a nocturnal home dialysis program, led by the late Dr. Andreas Pierratos, a pioneer and trailblazer in this field.

Home dialysis gives patients more flexibility when it comes to maintaining an independent and active lifestyle. It also allows for more frequent and longer treatments, which, in turn, can lead to improved clinical outcomes.

Despite home hemodialysis being more complex, requiring more patient training, and potential plumbing and electrical upgrades to a home, it is the preferred method for our patients. At Humber, 18% of patients are on home hemodialysis, compared to the provincial average of 5.1%.

Learning to live with kidney failure is a significant adjustment for both patients and their families. Thanks to the support of our donors, Humber continues to uphold its promise of accessible healthcare by developing programing like the TCU, which empower patients with greater flexibility and autonomy over their treatment.