Home dialysis. Time to revisit the opportunity.
Home dialysis is not for everyone, but it should be considered more seriously by renal providers as the industry struggles to improve outcomes while lowering costs. Changes in the nephrologist MCP this year and the MMA changes to provider reimbursement coming in 2005 are reprioritizing the parameters for reimbursement. Barriers that prevent patients from maintaining or returning to work are being minimized. All these changes should cause the nephrologists and providers to take a moment and re-evaluate the home dialysis therapies. We as a community should continue to pressure Medicare and Congress to provide pre-dialysis education and support. The bottom line is improved patient outcomes and lower overall cost of care when patients are at home for their therapies.
Messana
Anthony
A
Nephrology Consulting and Management Services LLC, Drexel Hill, Pa, USA.
D006437:Hemodialysis, Home / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D014481:United States