Community peritoneal dialysis center in Bao'an

Spacious and well-lit, Shenzhen’s first smart community peritoneal dialysis center, located at the COFCO Chuangxin Community Health Service Station in Bao’an District, is designed to support comprehensive patient care. It features several functional areas, including patient assessment and intake, a smart platform zone, a dialysis treatment area, a health education area, an emergency care zone, and a medical equipment and supplies storage area. It is equipped with automated peritoneal dialysis machines, temperature-controlled incubators, electronic scales, and emergency response equipment.

Scenes from Shenzhen's first smart community peritoneal dialysis center at the COFCO Chuangxin Community Health Service Station in Bao’an District.

“Until now, peritoneal dialysis resources have been highly concentrated in a small number of hospitals, such as Bao’an People’s Hospital, while specialist capacity in community health centers has been comparatively limited,” said Fu Biling, deputy chief physician in the Nephrology Department at Bao’an People’s Hospital.

She noted that this has left peritoneal dialysis patients facing challenges such as limited access to specialist care, insufficient community facilities capable of providing continuous professional support, and difficulties in self-management. The newly launched smart peritoneal dialysis center helps address these gaps.

According to Fu, the center realizes a major goal of Professor Chen Jihong’s team at Bao’an People’s Hospital: bridging the gap between expert clinical guidance and community practice. Under the Smart Peritoneal Dialysis Center project, it translates the team’s standardized medical protocols into community applications for chronic kidney disease management.

The center provides catheter care services, including dressing changes at the exit site, sealing and catheter maintenance, and the treatment of catheter infections. It also provides medication management, daily care guidance, prevention and handling of complications, health education, and referral and care coordination services when needed.

For acute complications, the center can respond quickly and arrange timely transfers. Using an information platform, it enables remote case consultation with specialist doctors to help determine treatment plans. The system allows real-time monitoring of patient information and remote adjustment of treatment parameters by connecting automated peritoneal dialysis equipment and the smart management platform, reflecting the center’s emphasis on intelligent, efficient, and safe care.

At the launch ceremony, nephrology specialists from Bao’an People’s Hospital and experts from the COFCO Chuangxin community health team provided free health consultations to local residents, focusing on prevention and treatment of common conditions including chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and diabetes.