Satellite haemodialysis units

Haemodialysis is a procedure used to maintain a patient with end stage renal failure by using an artificial kidney machine (dialysis machine) to replace the excretory function of the failed kidneys.

Blood from the patient is pumped from the body through special tubing to the dialysis machine, where it travels through the dialyser, cleaned then returned to the patient.

Once the patient has received a fistula to allow haemodialysis to occur, and has spent around two weeks in the incentre haemodialysis unit to stabilise, the patient is transferred to a satellite unit, unless one of the two home dialysis options has been chosen.

Facility or hospital based haemodialysis units are referred to as satellite units. Monash Health has four units located in the south-east Melbourne metropolitan region and four located in Gippsland. Patients dialyse three times a week, for five hours per session.

Locations (metropolitan sites)

Location details (rural sites)

Monash Health has agreements in place with other hospitals to provide the rural satellite haemodialysis services:

Each of the satellite haemodialysis units treat as many patients as they are able, and each has a waiting list of patients seeking a permanent position in that unit. Although each patient is asked to nominate the haemodialysis location they would prefer to be on a permanent basis, being offered a place at the location of choice is not possible straight away. This is relevant for the metropolitan locations only.

It is likely that the patient will be moving from one haemodialysis location to another until a vacancy arises in the chosen unit. However, we do aim to gain a regular position for each patient in another haemodialysis location, as close to home as possible, while the patient waits for a place in their ideal location.

Monash Health offers newly available positions to patients based on the time they have been on the waiting list. This means that the patient waiting for the longest time is offered the next available position first.

Satellite units outside Monash Health

Monash Health has arrangements in place with twenty units operated by other Victorian Health Services and providers for patients to access, including: