Traveling While on Hemodialysis

Everyone, especially someone on dialysis, needs to get away on vacation every now and then. Although traveling while undergoing hemodialysis isn't the easiest thing to arrange, it can be done. The more of a role you play, the more successful you are likely to be. Active participation in the planning process also improves the chances that you will get the quality of care you want and the continuity of care you need.

Finding Dialysis Centers

One of the first and most important things you need to do when planning a trip is to find dialysis centers where you can receive your dialysis treatments. Numerous resources are available to you, including specialized travel companies, but one of the best is your social worker or travel coordinator at your dialysis center. Most dialysis centers, particularly if they are part of a national chain, have a person who is experienced in arranging dialysis treatments away from home.

The key to successfully finding placement at a dialysis center while traveling is planning and being flexible. With the rapidly increasing number of people going on dialysis, many (if not most) dialysis units try to stay as full as they can. So, it is important to make “reservations” early and be flexible, especially if you are looking to visit a popular place or need to fly.

Although most dialysis units try to accommodate people traveling for emergencies, spots aren’t always initially available. In this case, don't give up if a dialysis unit says they don’t have the spot. It is common to call back and find that space is available because a regular patient was unexpectedly hospitalized or passed away.

Choosing Among Various Centers

You may not always have the luxury of choosing between various dialysis centers, especially in an emergency. But if you do, you can ask a few questions to help make a choice. One of the first things you should ask about is whether you will be able to get the same quality of care that you receive at home. This means asking:

• Do they have the dialyzer you normally use? Do they reuse dialyzers?
• Can you receive your prescribed treatment time? How do they make up interruptions?
• Can you receive your normal medications, including lidocaine? Can you get them administered the same way (i.e. intravenously or subcutaneously)?
• What is the dialysis technician to patient ratio? How about for the nurses?

In addition, ask when your treatment would start and end. Traveling patients are often placed on the last shift of the day, which is the least popular time. This could mean ending treatment well past midnight. You also want to know if you are permitted to eat or drink while on dialysis and if that have ice chips available or not.

Ensuring Continuity of Care

Receiving medical care while traveling is more than just getting dialysis. In order to receive dialysis, you must be under the care of a physician, specifically a nephrologist. This means that in the weeks before you leave, the dialysis staff at your unit will need to send over a copy of your medical records, including your dialysis orders, to each unit that you will visiting. In theory, all the necessary records will be there and reviewed by nephrologist before you start dialysis. It's ideal that you bring a duplicate set with you and keep it close at all times.

If you have a complicated medical history or if you are a higher risk for developing a complication or a problem, ask your kidney doctor to write a summary letter or call to the physician who will be responsible for your care at the unit. It would also be a good idea to arrange, if possible, to have your first treatment on the day that the kidney doctors do their weekly rounds. Otherwise, you may not be seen by doctor for a week or longer.