Grrrr.. I cannot get any definitive answers to my questions regarding in-center self care. In DaVita’s ‘Kidney Care – Choices that Fit Your Health and Lifestyle’ brochure it says,
I inquired with my local DaVita provider and was told that this only meant that they work with patients on things like catheter care. In light of the quote above, I sought further input with several other of my local DaVita healthcare providers and they were unsure of the scope. I checked out the DaVita website and could not find a better description. So I called the DaVita Guest Services 800 number and the person there was also unable to provide any information on in-center self care. Pretty frustrating.
In-center self care is very attractive to me for a number of good reasons including well documented studies which show that In-center self care patients have fewer hospitalization events, fewer missed treatments, and lower mortality rates. But most importantly for me, I want to be engaged in my treatments. I found it difficult to get my DaVita center to allow me to be engaged in my own treatment. This bit of, “come in, sit down, and be quiet while we do what we think is best for you” did not fly with me.
I should note that I am not a typical dialysis patient. I have never missed a treatment, I control my fluids (over last 2 months I have not walked in with more than 1KG over my dry weight). I control my diet to a very high level so that my labs are always within the acceptable parameters. I do not take any medications nor do I take any binders. I have been on dialysis for 4 years and know how to string a machine.
Can someone in DaVita provide details on in-center self care and/or point me to a resource that can answer some simple questions?
In-center self care is the same as in-center hemodialysis, only you are an active participant in your dialysis care by preforming some or all of the tasks yourself.
In-center self care is very attractive to me for a number of good reasons including well documented studies which show that In-center self care patients have fewer hospitalization events, fewer missed treatments, and lower mortality rates. But most importantly for me, I want to be engaged in my treatments. I found it difficult to get my DaVita center to allow me to be engaged in my own treatment. This bit of, “come in, sit down, and be quiet while we do what we think is best for you” did not fly with me.
I should note that I am not a typical dialysis patient. I have never missed a treatment, I control my fluids (over last 2 months I have not walked in with more than 1KG over my dry weight). I control my diet to a very high level so that my labs are always within the acceptable parameters. I do not take any medications nor do I take any binders. I have been on dialysis for 4 years and know how to string a machine.
Can someone in DaVita provide details on in-center self care and/or point me to a resource that can answer some simple questions?