A big loss for Paola and residents of Miami County that rely on Dialysis. DaVita Dialysis in Paola will close a week from today, leaving many local residents scrambling to find a new location and transportation to and from the life saving treatment. Officials at DaVita say the decision to close was not an easy one and they are working with patients to find a good treatment option for them.
In a letter to patients, the company said they attempted cost saving measures but it could not be corrected. They say keeping care available to rural areas is a challenge and they are working to keep a transition as smooth as possible. Finding transportation to another facility is a big issue for many people and many took advantage of the Osawatomie Senior Center’s Public Transportation. However, they only have three drivers and three vehicles and say they cannot afford to take patients out of County and have the drivers and vehicles gone for several hours at a time.
The Paola Senior Center is experiencing similar transportation issues. They have two vehicles and three drivers, but they are only able to drive a short distance and aren’t able to help in the event of a medical emergency.
