FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Select one

• What's the reimbursement for home dialysis?
• Who are the most successful candidates for home dialysis?
• Do I have to give up my patients?
• How do I become credentialed for DaVita at Home?
• What type of support system does DaVita at Home have in place for nephrologists?
• What kind of equipment are you using?
• Why home dialysis?
• Which modalities does DaVita at Home offer?
• Who is DaVita?
• Who does the patient turn to if they need assistance?
• Are medication changes necessary with home dialysis?
• What kind of training will patients go through to dialyze at home?
• Is there backup for a patient whose dialysis partner is temporarily unavailable or if there are other short-term problems?

What's the reimbursement for home dialysis?

Medicare has considered the importance of home dialysis modalities in their rulemaking regarding MCP   reimbursement. While you may see your patient only once a month, Medicare's reimbursement is at the mid-tier level - the same as 2 to 3 visits per month for in-center patients - making it the highest per visit reimbursement of all dialysis patient management options.

Who are the most successful candidates for home dialysis?

For patients who want to keep working full-time and maintain an active lifestyle, home dialysis can provide the freedom they seek with the lifesaving treatment they need. These motivated patients and/or partners must be able to meet established guidelines such as adequate dexterity and vision, and must have a suitable location in the home for equipment placement. In addition, they must agree to comply with prescribed treatments.

Do I have to give up my patients?

No. When you work with DaVita at Home, you will be able to maintain your relationship with your patients and continue to monitor and direct your patients' care. Our professionals have the clinical systems and experience to manage day-to-day patient needs and will work with you to provide optimal clinical outcomes for your patients.

How do I become credentialed for DaVita at Home?

The DaVita credentialing program, completed by over 1,400 physicians, verifies practitioners' credentials using criteria that are compliant with the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA). Our goal is to maintain high standards while keeping the credentialing process simple. To obtain a DaVita application, or for more information, please contact Tracy Brakel at 1-800-633-9757 x6173.

What type of support system does DaVita at Home have in place for nephrologists?

With DaVita at Home, you will have access to qualified, trained professionals and receive accurate and timely clinical information. Our At Home multidisciplinary clinical team, which includes a program manager, training nurses and patient care technicians, dietitians, social workers and biomedical technicians, is carefully selected for their knowledge, experience and commitment to patient care.

Your patients will come to the DaVita at Home facility once a month for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary patient care meeting. You will receive monthly patient and clinical outcome reports. You will also receive quarterly DaVita Quality Index ("DQI") reports, to help you follow your patients' progress and to assess and compare their outcomes. Paper reports are supplemented by the Doctors Using Clinical Information ("DUCK") custom clinical on-line information system.

What kind of equipment are you using?

DaVita at Home provides patients with the most up-to-date, reliable and user-friendly dialysis machines and water treatment equipment available. Home HD patients are trained on the same equipment that they will receive to go home. DaVita at Home takes responsibility for helping potential patients assess their homes, provides detailed instructions to assist patients in making any required home modifications, and installs the equipment in the patient's home.

Peritoneal Dialysis patients are also trained on the same equipment they will have at home. Because different systems work better for different people, DaVita offers both Fresenius "PD Plus" and Baxter "Homechoice" cyclers. You and the DaVita at Home training nurse can discuss the options to decide which is the best choice for your patient.

Why home dialysis?

Research has shown that clinical outcomes and quality of life may be superior for patients who perform dialysis at home. Home dialysis patients learn more about their condition, tend to dialyze either longer or more frequently (or both), and have more flexibility over their treatment schedule. Some evidence indicates that greater flexibility and convenience, combined with a greater sense of responsibility, results in better compliance. Home dialysis has been shown to be as safe as in-center dialysis.

Which modalities does DaVita at Home offer?

Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD or cycler therapy), Traditional Home Hemodialysis (3x/week), Short Daily Home Hemodialysis (5-6x/week), Nocturnal Home Hemodialysis (3 or more nights a week) and In-center Self Care (in which the patient performs dialysis in a center while supervised by a nurse 3x or more per week, flexible scheduling).

Who is DaVita?

DaVita is the largest independent provider of dialysis services in the United States, serving more than 103,000 patients at more than 1,300 clinics in 43 states and the District of Columbia. DaVita is committed to providing the best possible care to our patients, and its patients consistently receive better clinical outcomes than the national average on dialysis adequacy, anemia management and nutritional management. DaVita at Home, a focused initiative to develop the best home dialysis program in the country, is the result of this commitment to quality. At DaVita, all we do is dialysis. This is our business and we excel at it.

Who does the patient turn to if they need assistance?

Even though patients are dialyzing at home, they're never alone. A DaVita at Home health care professional is always just a phone call away. On call coverage is provided 24/7.

Are medication changes necessary with home dialysis?

Medication prescriptions may require adjustment for patients who dialyze at home. Home dialysis patients can discuss necessary medication changes with their healthcare team during their monthly clinic visits. They receive prescriptions for oral medications and have the option of picking up a monthly supply of Epogen (EPO) which they can self-administer at home. Home HD patients can use their blood lines to administer EPO just as though they were receiving dialysis in a facility. Some PD patients who are uncomfortable with self-injection opt to come to the clinic once or twice per week for the injection. Occasionally, home patients may visit the center for a limited time to receive intravenous iron infusions if oral iron medication is not adequate.

To assist you in your prescription decisions, the DaVita laboratory has developed a system that enables patients to draw their own lab samples during the month. Each patient is provided with a special kit, step-by-step instructions, and a pre-paid express mail package for sending their samples to the lab. In this way, your patients' most current lab results are available during the monthly care meeting. Results are also available on-line.

What kind of training will patients go through to dialyze at home?

DaVita at Home provides a comprehensive training program for all patients who meet the clinical and social criteria for home dialysis. Training needs will vary from patient to patient, but typically a patient and his/her caregiver can learn the required skills to successfully perform PD at home within a week or two, and to perform HD at home within 6 to 8 weeks.

We are dedicated to your patients' safety. State-of-the-art training tools, step-by-step reminder cards and a 24/7 support system once the patient is at home, coupled with caring, qualified professionals, will ensure your patients have the resources necessary to achieve successful outcomes.

Is there backup for a patient whose dialysis partner is temporarily unavailable or if there are other short-term problems?

Yes. The local DaVita dialysis facility will guarantee an opening for all home patients. In addition, some DaVita at Home programs offer In-center Self Care where a patient can perform their dialysis under the supervision of center staff. This is an option for patients who need a little extra time in their transition from training program to home, whose dialysis partner is temporarily unavailable or simply needs a vacation, or who have a clinical condition that requires licensed supervision.