Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/1264973
t m c p u l s e | j u ly 2 02 0 11 but what if we could do something to postpone the onset of hyperten- sion and diabetes by five years, by a decade, by two decades? Both the financial impact and the health impact of that on our community would be immeasurable. Those are the types of things I'm excited about and what I want Harris Health to become known for. PULSE | Finally, can you provide more details about the conversion of Quentin Mease, the former hospital in Third Ward that is transitioning to an outpatient facility focused on dialysis and HIV care? PORSA | Dialysis is one of my passions. It's going to expand our dialysis program with a focus on peritoneal dialysis [blood purifica- tion during a process in the lining of a person's abdomen] and not so much hemodialysis [blood pumped and purified through an artificial kidney machine], even though that program is going to expand. I want to be well known in this community and nationally for doing peritoneal dialysis well. The difference in overall costs and mortality is huge. There's less mortality and morbid- ity—infections and things of that sort—with peritoneal dialysis, as well as the ability to perform the dialysis at home and to travel and to work. But how do we treat the diabetes and hypertension that cause people to end up in end stage renal disease? The best thing would be to never get to the point of end stage renal disease and that goes back to upstream thinking and prevention. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.