Dialysis clinic to open in Kaimuki

The state's largest kidney dialysis provider is opening a new 12-station clinic in Kaimuki in mid-October to serve an increasingly aging population in East Oahu.

Liberty Dialysis-Hawaii LLC of Mercer Island, Wash., is investing $2.9 million to renovate an 8,000-square-foot building, which was formerly a Handi Pantry store and once a gas station on the corner of Koko Head and Harding avenues across from the Kaimuki Public Library.

The company has secured a long-term lease on the property at 3625 Harding Ave. from Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union, which will share the building with the dialysis center.

"It's going to be an amazing location because it is easy access to the H1 freeway, it is very close to major bus routes and it has quite a bit of free parking," Chief Operating Officer Bill Berrien said.

The company chose the location because of the opportunity to serve the East Oahu population, including Hawaii Kai residents, who currently travel farther to get to existing clinics.

The company is redeveloping the interior of the building for dialysis use with new machines, heated chairs, a new water system and individual television sets for patients, whose treatments typically last three to four hours.

Liberty Dialysis expects to serve more than 70 patients each week at the Kaimuki Dialysis Clinic, which will be the company's 14th clinic in Hawaii. The dialysis provider operates five clinics on Oahu and a total of eight clinics on Kauai, the Big Island, Maui and Molokai.

The company is projecting operating revenue at the new clinic to total $2.1 million in the first year with expenses estimated at roughly $1.9 million, resulting in an operating profit of $199,686.

By the third year of operation, revenue is expected to rise to $2.6 million with total expenses estimated at $2.2 million, resulting in a profit of $381,080.

Meanwhile, the company recently received state approval to expand its Leeward clinic on Fort Weaver Road and plans to open a 48-station clinic this month in Wailuku on Maui.

Liberty Dialysis became the state's largest renal dialysis provider when it bought the outpatient dialysis business from St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii for $5.17 million in January 2006.

The company has about 1,300 patients in Hawaii and more than 3,400 patients nationwide.