Mid-South Nephrology

Progress 2016

Mid-South Nephrology

Mid-South Nephrology, located at 310 S. Rhodes, has taken care of kidney disease patients in Crittenden County for almost three decades.

Mid-South Nephrology Medical Director Jacinto Hernandez, M.D. began his practice over 30 years ago in West Memphis, and Julio P.

Ruiz, M.D. has been with the clinic for over 15 years.

The practice includes three more physicians, Dr.

Berñadette Deogaygay and Dr. Patrick Kulubya, as well as Dr. Konrad Stepniakowski, M.D.

Mid-South Nephrology has the best equipment in the country for senior citizens.

The staff works with patients on dialysis as well as those with kidney disease and other renal problems, providing the highest quality of care for all patients.

“I made a promise when I came here that I will take care of the people in this county,” said Dr. Hernandez. “I am proud to say that no one here will die from lack of dialysis.

“Charity has always been on our minds,” insisted Hernandez, who added that no patient will ever be turned away for lack of insurance.

To assure their patients’ health and comfort, the staff at Mid-South Nephrology works to meet their clients’ individual needs. Dialysis patients must sit for three hours at a time, three times a week, and the nurses and assistants at Mid-South Nephrology always make sure the experience is as safe and agreeable as possible.

Moreover, for the convenience of their patients, the clinic is open Monday through Saturday.

When Dr. Hernandez moved to the Mid-South over 30 years ago, he was the first kidney specialist in the area.

He began practicing at Crittenden Memorial Hospital, now Crittenden Regional Hospital (CRH), where he worked with many skilled doctors who have long since retired. Even then, he said, the need for renal treatment was great.

With kidney disease so prominent in the African-American community as well as with people who have diabetes and high blood pressure, Hernandez said CRH has been extraordinary in admitting patients with kidney problems. “Area residents and kidney patients need to know how CRH has helped — with great doctors and great technology,” insisted Dr.

Hernandez.

He went on to praise CRH for staffing regular nurses instead of nurses who rotate in from an agency. He also complimented the nurses for always treating their patients like family, calling CRH’s quality of care second to none.

“So my job would not have been possible if a hospital like CRH was not in West Memphis,” said Dr.

Hernandez. “We are very lucky that our kidney patients have access to medical services much faster, in my opinion, and better quality than my patients receive in Memphis.”

Ultimately, Hernandez opened the dialysis center on South Rhodes and has since overseen two expansions, all to better serve the renal patients of eastern Arkansas.

Since Hernandez opened Mid-South Nephrology, he said local doctors have also been instrumental in serving kidney patients. In larger cities, he said, paperwork can often prolong treatment. But West Memphis physicians have been cooperative in helping patients regardless of any situations.

“They don’t ask if a patient is rich or poor or if they have insurance,” Dr. Hernandez said. “This community has been blessed to have so many good physicians who have given so much time to this community.”

The best medical care is not necessarily found miles away, but is found right here at home. When it comes to patient care, the staff at Mid-South Nephrology and CRH have one thing at heart and that is the community.

Mid-South Nephrology serves Crittenden, St. Francis and Mississippi counties and has offices in Shelby County, Tenn. The phone number is 870-735-7290.