HELENA — A new $5 million dialysis and nephrology unit at St. Peter's Medical Center is making dialysis blood transfusion and transplant treatments more comfortable for patients.

Roy Moreno has been undergoing dialysis treatment since 2018. He pointed out some things in the new facility that he says are a big improvement.

"These chairs are a lot more comfortable than the old ones. They have a switch right here that I can toggle and a button right here. It's a vibrating chair and massage chair,” said Moreno.

While the comfort of treatment chairs might not be a concern for the average person, it can make a big difference during dialysis treatments, which can last four to five hours.

The new facility has the capacity to treat up to 50 patients in the dialysis and nephrology unit. Alice Luher, the clinic manager, says this new building has been a long time coming.

“Friday the 13th of March 2022, we had a great drain fail in our old unit and the old unit, and we had to move to the surgical unit to continue our dialysis treatment, and it just wasn't set up for dialysis,” said Luher.

She elaborated on how the new facility will help St. Peter’s serve patients.

"We have things that will make dialysis treatment much more comfortable for patients with chronic kidney disease."

The new clinic includes rooms to prepare patients for at-home treatment. St. Peter's said about half of their patients manage dialysis treatments at home. The ultimate goal is for patients to get kidney transplants. in the past year, eight patients have received transplants.