Dialysis Center
 2009
Dialysis Center Donor Appreciation
A substantial gift from an out-of-state
family has been given to the Bear Lake Valley Health Care Foundation
to develop and operate a Kidney Dialysis Center in association
with Bear Lake Memorial Hospital in Montpelier.
Rod Jacobson, Bear Lake Memorial
Hospital Administrator, is grateful for the gift. "I felt
bad years ago when a beloved local citizen had to leave the community
to get dialysis in Pocatello. The current donation makes it so
no one else from the community will have to leave Bear Lake Valley."
Jacobson sees the Dialysis Center
fitting with the goals of the Hospital to be a progressive leader
in providing optimal health care to valley residents, specifically
addressing the health care needs of Senior  Citizens
in the Valley. The new center opened in 2006 with full Medicare
approval and can care for up to 6 patients. The Medicare inspection
passed with a 100% grade. Jacobson believes the Center will potentially
serve patients from Lincoln, Caribou and Rich counties. And,
people make travel plans based on the locations of dialysis centers.
"We will likely pick up Yellowstone visitors."
Craig Thomas, Executive Director
of the Bear Lake Valley Health Care Foundation, says " The
gift is a wonderful present to the Bear Lake community. The Foundation
is excited about this opportunity and sees that it will be playing
a major role in the project. The gift is enough to cover the
development and initial operations of the center, including the
actual space for the Center, equipment, training, and operational
costs."
"The residents of Bear Lake
have worked tirelessly, given generously, and dreamed big for
the health care needs of valley residents. We're grateful for
lovingly giving us a new opportunity to serve the Valley."
 The
Dialysis Center is available for anyone needing this life preserving
service. Local residents, tourists just visiting Bear Lake for
the summer or just passing through now have an extra option to
improve the way of life for those who depend on dialysis. Anyone
interested in using the new Dialysis Center in Montpelier is
asked to call the hospital at (208) 847-1630.
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