Humber River Hospital is a leading regional centre for Dialysis Services. We are one of Toronto’s largest dialysis programs with a well-established pre-dialysis clinic. We serve patients from diagnosis to treatment and monitoring.
Humber River Hospital’s Nephrology program is a leader for Kidney Care Services.
Here are some Fast Facts about our program:
The multidisciplinary team includes Nephrologists, a Program Director, Managers, Clinical Practice Leaders, Nurse Practitioners, Dietitians, Social Workers, Pharmacists, Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses, a Home Dialysis Coordinator, a Body Access Coordinator, Dialysis Assistants, Dialysis Technologists and Clerical Staff.
Approximately 62,000 hemodialysis treatments are provided annually.
Services provided:
In-Centre Unit consists of 60 stations at Wilson site (serving 400 patients) and 18 stations at Church site (serving 72 patients).
The Multi-Care Kidney Clinic (MCKC) supports 600 patients.
The Nephrology Clinic supports 2070 patients.
Home Dialysis Services supports 180 patients.
Transition Care Unit consists of 6 stations to support patient decision making about the choice of treatment modality (method)
An acute care inpatient Nephrology Unit, which has 32 beds, is dedicated to the care of inpatients of the Nephrology Program.
Dr. Murray Berall studied genetics at McGill University and attended medical school at Dalhousie University. He completed his post-graduate education in Internal Medicine and Nephrology at the University of Toronto. Dr Berall has served as President of the Medical Staff at Northwestern General Hospital for four years, followed by his role as the first medical staff president of Humber River Hospital. He was the first Director of Dialysis at HRH and helped oversee the creation of the initial program. His present interest is in the field of sleep medicine, its impact and management in the hypertensive patient, and its role in creating morbidity in patients with CKD.
Dr. Harold Borenstein completed a Masters of Science in Renal Physiology in 1982, graduated from the University of Toronto Medical School in 1986, and completed postgraduate training in Internal Medicine in Kingston and Nephrology in Toronto. His clinical practice includes general nephrology, hypertension management, peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis.
416-739-7558
2100 Finch Avenue West Suite 106, Toronto, ON, M3N 2Z9
Dr. Gavril Hercz is a physician in the Department of Nephrology at Humber River Hospital in Toronto. He is a member of the Canadian Psychoanalytic Society.
Dr. David Mendelssohn is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. He was born and raised in Montreal, graduated from Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine in 1983, and did post graduate training in internal medicine and nephrology in Toronto. He was the Chief/Physician Director, Department of Nephrology, at Humber River for 13 years until June, 2014. He is currently one of two Canadian principle investigators for the multinational Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Pattern Study (DOPPS.)
Dr. Andreas Pierratos is a physician in the Department of Nephrology at Humber River Hospital in Toronto. He is a professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and he is the recipient of Life Time Achievement Award by the International Society of Hemodialysis.
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General Nephrology Clinic (Church site – Main floor)
This is an outpatient clinic where visits are dedicated to the management of nephrological conditions. In this clinic, you will be seen by a Nephrologist who will assess and monitor your kidney condition.
It is important to bring all of your medications as a Pharmacy Technician will review your drugs and dosages.
How to access this program
Referral by a physician is required.
General Nephrology Clinic
Humber Kidney Clinics
200 Church St., York, ON M9N 1N8
Hours of Operation:
Monday to Friday: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Tel: (416) 658-2241
Fax: (416) 658-2242
Multi-Care Kidney Clinic (Church site – Main floor)
The Multi-Care Kidney Clinic (MCKC) is an outpatient program that helps patients and their families understand kidney disease and how to slow its progression.
We provide access to specialized services to help patients maintain a state of wellness while living with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
Patients whose kidney disease continues to progress are presented with treatment options and are supported in learning and preparing for the initiation of their treatment choice.
Patients are monitored and seen in the MCKC by the multidisciplinary team. This team consists of a Nephrologist (kidney specialist), Registered Nurses, Dietitians, Pharmacists and Social Workers.
The team helps patients understand the different treatment options and which renal replacement therapy may best fit the patient’s lifestyle and circumstance.
How to access this program
Referral by a physician is required.
Multi-Care Kidney Clinic
Humber Kidney Clinics
200 Church St., York, ON M9N 1N8
Hours of Operation:
Monday to Friday: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Tel: (416) 658-2241
Fax: (416) 658-2242
Home Hemodialysis Services (Church site – Main floor)
Home Hemodialysis Services offer the patient a number of treatment options that can be self-administered at home. These include:
Conventional Home Hemodialysis – performed three to four times per week for four hours. This option allows patients the flexibility to do their dialysis treatments at home during the day or evening rather than travel to the dialysis centre.
Short Daily Home Hemodialysis – performed five to seven times per week for two to three hours.
Nocturnal Home Hemodialysis – involves long, slow treatments done at night over six to eight hours while the patient sleeps. This leaves their day time free to pursue other activities such as work or school. Treatments can be every other night or up to seven nights a week depending on what the doctor prescribes.
The program is designed for patients who would like to maintain an independent and active lifestyle and have more control over their treatment.
Patients and their families learn how to perform dialysis using equipment provided by the hospital.
Supplies are delivered to the patients’ homes each month free of charge.
We have a specially designed home-training area and use a range of educational materials and learning tools that facilitate individual learning styles.
This program is managed by an experienced multidisciplinary team consisting of a Nephrologist, Registered Nurses, Dietitians, Pharmacists and Social Workers.
After completing the training phase, patients and their caregivers continue to receive medical support and close monitoring by a Home Dialysis Nurse.
The Home Hemodialysis Nurse evaluates the patient’s response to treatment, blood work and medications on an ongoing basis.
Patients visit the clinic for evaluation every two or three months, or as recommended by their Nephrologist.
How to access Home Hemodialysis Services
Referral by a physician is required.
Home Dialysis Unit
Humber Kidney Clinics
200 Church St. York, ON M1N 1N8
Hours of Operation:
Monday to Friday: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Tel: (416) 658-2264
Fax: (416) 658-2265
Home Peritoneal Dialysis Clinic
The Home Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) Clinic is an outpatient program designed to facilitate the delivery of medical and multidisciplinary care to patients on peritoneal dialysis.
The Clinic has a large team of nephrologists (kidney specialists), nurses and allied professionals caring for more than 90 home dialysis patients.
The Clinic has private training rooms to support the education and training of new patients and a large support area to manage the episodic care needs of patients on home PD.
Peritoneal dialysis is a form of dialysis that works inside your body to remove waste and extra fluid. A small flexible tube (PD catheter) is used to allow fluid in and out of your belly. Part of the tube stays inside your belly and the other part is outside your body. Dialysis solution flows into your belly through the small flexible tube and is then later drained. The tube is easily hidden by your clothes.
The benefits of PD include that it is easy to learn and flexible to suit your lifestyle, which can include travel. This form of therapy liberalizes your food choices and requires no invasive procedures. You, or a caregiver, will be able to perform the treatments independently in the comfort of your home. Treatment supplies are delivered right to your home.
Patients have a better quality of life and health outcomes on peritoneal dialysis compared to conventional dialysis.
How to access Home Peritoneal Dialysis
Referral by a physician is required.
Peritoneal Dialysis Clinic
Humber Kidney Clinics
200 Church St. York, ON M1N 1N8
Hours of Operation:
Monday to Friday: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Tel: (416) 658-2264
Fax: (416) 658-2265
Transition Care Unit (Church site – Main floor)
The Transition Care Unit (TCU) is a clinical environment for patients who are new to dialysis.
The TCU education plan is delivered as a four-week program.
The patient and family will be assessed by members of the health care team including the Nephrologist, Home Dialysis Coordinator (HDC), Body Access Coordinator (BAC), Nurses, Pharmacist, Dietitian, and Social Worker.
In the TCU, patients will be trained and exposed to self-care strategies including performing aspects of their dialysis care independently.
At the end of the four-week care plan, patients will transition to a home dialysis modality or In-Centre dialysis depending on the patient’s individual goals, ability, and life circumstance.
How to access this program
Transition Care Unit
Humber Kidney Clinics
200 Church St., York, ON M9N 1N8
Hours of Operation:
Monday to Saturday: 7:00 am to 5:00 pm
Tel: (416) 658-2264
Fax: (416) 243-4164
In-Centre Hemodialysis Unit
The In-Centre Hemodialysis Unit (ICHD) is supported at both Wilson (60 stations) and Church site (18 stations).
These units provide hemodialysis services on an outpatient basis.
Patients in the ICHD are supported by a multidisciplinary team of Nephrologists, Nurse Practitioners, a Body Access Coordinator, Nurses, Social Workers, Dietitians, Pharmacists, Clerical staff and Volunteers who help with patient and family needs.
How to access this program
Wilson Site
In-Centre Hemodialysis Unit
Humber River Hospital
1235 Wilson Ave.
Toronto, ON M3M 0B2
Hours of Operation:
Monday to Sunday: 7:00 am to 1100 pm
Tel: (416) 242-1000 ext. 22000
Church Site
Church Site Hemodialysis Unit
Humber Kidney Clinics
200 Church St., York, ON M9N 1N8
Hours of Operation:
Monday to Saturday: 7:00 am to 11:00 pm
Tel: (416) 658-2264
Fax: (416) 243-4164
Inpatient Nephrology Unit (Wilson site – 9 East)
9 East is our acute care Inpatient Nephrology Unit which has 32 beds with the capacity to provide dialysis treatment in the patient room.
Our multidisciplinary team is familiar with the unique circumstances and needs of patients with kidney disease or kidney injury.
This team consists of Nephrologists, Nurses, Social Workers, Dietitians, Pharmacists, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, Clerical Staff and Volunteers.
We participate in the Ontario Renal Network/Trillium Gift of Life Network provincial strategy which promotes access and improving patients’ experiences with kidney transplantation with a major focus on living kidney donation.
We support the Transplant Ambassador Program in Ontario. This Program has been created by living kidney donors, recipients and family members who are passionate about supporting patients living with chronic kidney disease and their family members in learning more about kidney transplantation and living kidney donation.
Our Transplant Ambassadors connect with patients and family members in the MCKC environment and in In-Centre to describe living donation/receiver experiences and to provide support to those with kidney disease.
Our patients learn about kidney transplants via the Explore Transplant Ontario patient education initiative.
Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC)
The Nephrology Program PFAC includes 6 to 10 patient and family advisors who help in the following ways:
Share their story with clinicians, staff and other patients
Participate in discussion groups
Review or help create educational or informational materials
Work on short-term projects.
Should you wish to contact a member of our PFAC, please call the PFAC Phone Line: (416) 243-PFAC (7322)
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