Grady Patients Placed with Short-Term Providers

By Odette Yousef

Atlanta, GA – Grady Hospital officials say that all its dialysis patients have been placed with private clinics, and its outpatient center will close tomorrow as scheduled. Still, some patients are worried about their long-term care.

WABE's Odette Yousef reports.

Grady has guaranteed three months of dialysis through the private providers, and says it will continue working with the patients to help them find longer-term solutions. But remembering how little time Grady had given them to plan for this closing, some patients are wary of that promise.

PATIENT: It's the same thing. Three days, three hours, three months. It's going to be the same thing again after three months.

This patient, an undocumented immigrant who's relied on Grady because she has no insurance, says nobody else will take her. But Grady spokesperson Matt Gove says there will be solutions:

GOVE: There are some community clinics in Atlanta that have some non-profit support and may be able to assist them.

He also says some other states may cover ongoing dialysis for these patients, and Grady will help those who choose to move back to their home countries find care.

The hospital is closing the center because it loses $2 million a year.

Odette Yousef, WABE News.