Contact: Douglas B. Chappell
General Council
(615) 250-1770
Gallup, New Mexico (November 19, 2010) - Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services (RMCHCS) announced today that a long-term lease agreement has been signed with Red Rocks Dialysis, LLC (RRD) for a new location for the Red Rocks Dialysis Gallup Facility. "We are very excited to see this new center coming to life," said Karen Lautermilch, CEO of RMCHCS. "Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the whole community, patients will now have access to this beautiful new facility and the latest, most advanced hemodialysis services."
The new, state-of-the-art dialysis center will be located at 725 Hospital Drive, in the Lidio G. Rainaldi Dialysis Building, named for the state Senator who was instrumental in securing funding for the new facility.
RMCHCS divested of its dialysis program in 2008 to Red Rocks Dialysis (whose parent company is Innovative Dialysis Systems, Inc.). Since that time both parties have worked diligently to bring the new center to fruition.
"It's taken a collaborative and concerted effort from everyone involved," noted Dr. James Whitfield, Medical Director of Red Rocks Dialysis. "It was a long process, but everyone worked with the patients' and the community's best interests in mind. Through this new facility, we can now expand our services and provide a more accessible, convenient solution for patients with nephrology and dialysis needs."
Currently, Red Rocks Dialysis Gallup provides hemodialysis services in an older facility located on Red Rock Drive. The existing facility has 28 dialysis stations, while the new facility will have 37 stations. This added capacity will greatly improve the access to dialysis care.
Red Rocks Dialysis is working with the New Mexico Department of Health Services to provide a timely and safe transition to the new facility.