Agreement Likely on Dialysis for Ex-Grady Patients

ATLANTA (AP) - Officials say an agreement on continuing dialysis is near for 40 metro Atlanta dialysis patients whose treatment has been in limbo for much of the past year.

The 38 patients’many of them illegal immigrants’received dialysis at Grady Memorial Hospital until the Atlanta safety net facility closed its outpatient dialysis clinic in October.

Grady spokesman Matt Gove says the hospital is working with the major dialysis providers in the area to hammer out an agreement for continuing treatment for the patients.

While the agreement is not finalized, Gove says Grady will provide some financial support for treatment at Emory Healthcare, Fresenius Medical Care and DaVita clinics.

Gove says some critical details, including Grady’s portion of the cost and the length of the commitment, are still being worked out.