NEWS-SUN STAFF REPORT June 29, 2012 3:58PM

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Updated: June 30, 2012 2:16AM

WAUKEGAN — Fresenius Medical Care’s Waukegan Harbor dialysis center has opened just west of the city’s downtown at 110 N. West St.

Officials with Fresenius Medical Care North America, headquartered in Waltham, Mass., said the 21-station clinic will provide treatment to the region’s growing population of patients with chronic kidney disease.

Dialysis is a process that cleans waste products from the blood, removes extra fluids and controls the body’s chemistry when a person’s kidneys fail. Dialysis patients usually require treatment on an ongoing basis unless they receive a kidney transplant.

“Patients typically receive dialysis three times a week for four hours each session. Given the frequency and duration of treatment, we do all we can to ensure our patients’ comfort and help them integrate their appointments into their daily lives,” said Mercy Saavedra, R.N., clinical manager for Fresenius Medical Care.”

Dr. Rakhi Khanna, a nephrologist with North Suburban Nephrology in Gurnee, serves as medical director at the new Medicare-certified facility. Fresenius is the nation’s leading network of dialysis facilities,

“The reaction from the Waukegan community has been wonderful,” said Dr. Khanna. “Our patients — some of whom previously had to travel as far as Antioch for treatment — were happy to see us open our doors.”

The Fresenius clinic offers patients a full range of dialysis-related medical services including a kidney transplant support program, nutrition counseling, bone disease management and social worker support. The facility also features technology, such as touch-screen dialysis station monitors that allow clinical staff to enter and securely track patient information.

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