Leaders in the dialysis community have released a report that outlines key findings and recommendations for better utilization of home dialysis as an alternative to in-center treatment.
The “Report of the Delegates” is a culmination of the first-ever meeting of the National Summit on Home Dialysis Policy held in Washington, D.C., on March 29. More than 50 clinicians, patients, and policymakers attended the meeting to address the disparities of treatment modalities for dialysis patients.
“Despite the significant lifestyle, clinical and economic advantages of home dialysis, currently less than 10% of U.S. dialysis patients receive treatment at home,” summit organizers wrote in the report.
The report contains 15 specific recommendations in areas of accessibility (patient education and training), accountability (programs to support home dialysis services), and aligning incentives (physician reimbursement policies). Among the recommendations, it urges federal policymakers to maintain parity between home and in-center dialysis treatment in Medicare reimbursement, encourage patient-to-patient mentoring and education, and align federal and state regulatory requirements for home therapies.
Summit Director Stephanie Silverman said in a telephone press conference that some of the organizations involved in the summit are now forming an ad hoc alliance to advance their home dialysis recommendations. ~renalandurologynews.com~
