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Education & Resources

 

Tools to Help You

It is in the best interest of every patient to be an active participant in his/her healthcare. The more you know about your treatment and the routine of the dialysis process the more you can be an advocate for yourself. Dialysis staff are frequently asked to do more in less time and with less resources. This can be stressful, and humans are prone to making errors under these conditions. You can help protect yourself by taking more responsibility for your care. To assist, the Network has posted several helpful links and resources online, such as:

There's an App for That: Smartphone and Tablet Apps to Help YOU Keep Track of Your Health

 

Pediatrics

There are a number of causes for kidney disease in children, including but not limited to birth defects, hereditary diseases, infection, nephrotic syndrome, and systemic diseases. Treatment for kidney disease in children depends on the cause of the illness. Children with kidney disease often need treatment for anemia and growth failure. If the kidneys fail, they require dialysis or transplantation.


Resources

 

Safety

It is in the best interest of every patient to be an active participant in his/her health care. The more you know about your treatment and the routine of the dialysis process the more you can be an advocate for yourself. Dialysis staff is frequently asked to do more in less time and with fewer resources. This can be stressful, and humans are prone to making errors under these conditions. You can help protect yourself by taking more responsibility for your care.
To find out what else you can do to keep you safe and help maintain a safe environment in your dialysis facility, view the following resources:

 

 

Treatment Options

Kidney failure is treated either with dialysis or transplantation. There are several types of dialysis. Your dialysis facility should talk to you about the types of therapy that can do the work your kidneys used to do.

Your treatment options include:

  • Hemodialysis (HD)

  • Peritoneal Dialysis (PD)

  • Kidney Transplant

Each type is different and each requires certain changes in your life. Not all treatment options are suitable for every patient because of his/her disease, physical or emotional condition, family situation, or lifestyle needs.

TREATMENT TYPE

DESCRIPTION

Hemodialysis

Is a process of cleaning/purifying the blood of a person whose kidneys are not working normally by removing waste products such as creatinine, urea, and excess water from their blood via an artificial kidney outside the body called a dialyzer. Hemodialysis may be performed in both in-patient or out-patient settings.

Peritoneal Dialysis

Is the process of cleaning/purifying the blood of a person whose kidneys are not working normally by removing waste products such as creatinine, urea, and excess water from their blood via a permanent tube located in the patients' abdomen. The process fills the abdomen and flushes the abdomen either every night while the patient sleeps (automatic peritoneal dialysis) or via regular exchanges throughout the day (continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis).

Transplantation

Is the process of removing a kidney or portion of a kidney from a donor and placing within a person whose kidney was not working normally. The process is classified as either Living Donor or Cadaveric Donor, depending on the donor's status.

No Treatment

You have the right to stop dialysis or not start dialysis at all. Talk with your family and kidney care team about your wishes.
 

Resources

 

Vocational Rehabilitation

Vocational rehabilitation rates for End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients are the worst among all types of disability populations. Patients who worked full-time before starting dialysis will lose about 60% of their income by going on disability. Part-time work, volunteering, and going to school can all make patients feel better about themselves. It is widely documented that patients who work are happier, stay healthier, and live longer.
Download the Life Options employment tool, A Kidney Patient’s Guide to Working & Paying for Treatment, offering information and resources about insurance, employment, programs, and incentives.

State Employment Departments

Use the tabbed menu below to explore links to state employment departments.

Ticket to Work

 

New Patient Materials

The Network Coordinating Center sends all new dialysis patients an orientation packet. If you have not received this packet, you can download the following resources which are included in this packet:

The Medicare Coverage of Kidney Dialysis and Kidney Transplant Services
Also en español: La Cobertura de Medicare de los Servicios de Diálisis Renal y Trasplante de Riñón) 

Preparing for Emergencies: A Guide for People on Dialysis
Also en español: Prepárese para Emergencias: Una guía para persones en diálisis)

You Can Live: Your Medicare Guide for Living with Kidney Failure

ESRD Patient Orientation Packet (NEPOP)

The ESRD Patient Orientation Packet (NEPOPs) that ESRD patients receive containing orientation materials relative to their plan of care. NEPOPs are distributed through a collaborative effort among the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Networks and the Network Coordinating Center (NCC).