What is Renal Dialysis and why do I need it? |
Renal dialysis provides the same function as a nonfunctioning kidney. Renal dialysis, also referred to as "hemodialysis," is used to remove wastes from your blood. Physicians typically order dialysis for patients who have lost their kidney function on a temporary or permanent basis. Some conditions that may require dialysis include acute renal failure (also known as kidney failure) and end stage renal disease (ESRD).
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How Do You Choose a Renal Dialysis Center |
With over 4,900 renal dialysis centers nationwide, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. The key is to research your choices so you find a renal dialysis provider that fits your needs and provides quality care. Below is a list of factors to consider when selecting a renal dialysis provider:
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1. Location
You can obtain a list of providers in a specific area by using our Find a Renal Dialysis Center Provider
tool. If you select renal dialysis facilities for facility type and a zip code,
you are given a list of providers and the distance in miles from the zip code. If
you use our advanced search, you can narrow down the list by providing a radius
limit.
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Sample results from our Find a Provider tool
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2. QualityQuality is often overlooked but extremely important. WhereToFindCare.com gives a brief overview of available quality data to help make your decision easier.
First, Understand the Basics of Quality Data on WhereToFindCare.comThe nation’s largest purchaser of health care is the federal government. The agency in charge of buying health care, called CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), monitors the quality of health care it purchases by requiring providers such as renal dialysis center to report information in 2 different areas listed below. WhereToFindCare.com uses data from CMS to help you find the best renal dialysis provider.
- Patients that have anemia (low red blood cell count) under control
- Patients who had enough wastes removed from their blood during dialysis (dialysis adequacy)
Next, Compare Quality Scores
WhereToFindCare.com gives you two quality scores to assist you in choosing a renal dialysis provider: Quality Score and WTFC Quality Score. |
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WhereToFindCare.com simplifies data from CMS, both areas of quality data into one value called Quality Score. This score is displayed in your search results and on each renal dialysis center’s home page. Each renal dialysis center’s Quality Score is the percentage of measures that met or exceeded the national average. Sometimes, however, CMS feels a renal dialysis center did not have enough patients to make a judgment on its quality. In these cases, Quality Scores are not displayed. When available, detailed quality information is available on the Quality tab of each renal dialysis center’s home page.
The WTFC Quality Score is the percentage of people who rated the renal dialysis center on WhereToFindCare.com and said they received quality care. This experience-based renal dialysis center satisfaction score cannot be found elsewhere today except by word of mouth.
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3. Recommendations |
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Word of mouth recommendations are very important. Recommendations can tell us whether we can get along with providers on a personal level. Ask friends, family, and other associates if they have had experiences with the renal dialysis centers on your list. You can also use WhereToFindCare.com to find word of mouth recommendations.
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We ask patients, visitors, and caregivers to rate providers by taking a short review. You can read other people’s experience by going to a provider’s page on WhereToFindCare.com and clicking on the Reviews tab. There you see how others answered questions, and any comments made about the provider. Also look for CareStars™ recognition. People may have left comments on WhereToFindCare.com about exceptional caregivers at the renal dialysis center. CareStars™ comments give you a sense that the renal dialysis center employs caring individuals that will provide the service you need. And once you selected a renal dialysis center, please revisit WhereToFindCare.com and share your experience by rating your provider. Your recommendation will help others make their decision.
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4. Availability
Check out the hours of operation for the renal dialysis center. Try to locate a renal dialysis center that will fit into your schedule.
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5. Consider What Each Renal Dialysis Center Offers
Once you’ve narrowed down the list of renal dialysis centers, you should consider all the other things each facility has to offer. In your search results, click on the name of a provider to see more information. Review insurance information and costs. Be sure to check out photos, video tours, amenities, contact information and much more.
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What are the Next Steps?
Call the renal dialysis center if you have any questions or would like to tour the facility. Please visit the provider page on WheretoFindCare.com to find address and contact information, and to get driving directions. Some providers have contact forms on their provider page, so it may be possible to email your questions to them. When contacting the provider, please be sure to mention you saw them on WhereToFindCare.com.
If you decide to tour the facility, be sure to visit the Medicare website at the links below. Medicare provides a printable list of questions to ask renal dialysis providers and centers.
What to Ask About Dialysis Centers
What to Ask Dialysis Care Providers
Information on WheretoFindCare.com
is for informational purposes only. See the disclaimer on the
Terms of Service page.
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