Home Hemodialysis

Going to scheduled, in-center appointments may not be for everyone. Home hemodialysis gives patients more control over when to perform their dialysis. You can perform hemodialysis at any time and any day of the week to allow more freedom for daily activities.

What is Home Hemodialysis?

Home hemodialysis is what it sounds like: it’s hemodialysis performed by you and/or a care partner at home. Home hemodialysis is usually done four to six times a week. Since it filters your blood more frequently, home hemodialysis helps you feel better and lets you keep working or attending school.

You will be responsible for your treatment, so you and your care partner will be trained to provide your treatments safely. Our nurses have years of experience and can’t wait to provide you with the knowledge and skills to take back control of your kidney replacement therapy.

About Hemodialysis

Hemodialysis is referred to as “blood” dialysis because this type of therapy requires an artificial kidney, called a dialyzer, to remove toxins and excess fluid from your blood. Hemodialysis requires access to your bloodstream. Your dialysis nurses will train either you or a caregiver on how to perform this safely and with as little pain as possible.

Of all the dialysis therapies, patients on home hemodialysis often say that this therapy makes them feel the best.

Home Hemodialysis Training

Before you are allowed to perform hemodialysis at home, you and your care partner will spend quality time with our dialysis nurses. We can train in the dialysis unit or in your home. Once our nurses feel you are safe to start on your own, you will meet with your kidney doctor to ask questions so that everyone is comfortable and confident as you begin performing your own treatments.

Benefits of Home Dialysis

Many patients like receiving hemodialysis from the comfort of their homes. Home hemodialysis allows patients to set their own schedule instead of coming in for appointments at a dialysis center.

The following are benefits of home hemodialysis:

  • Make your own schedule. You choose when to perform your treatment. You can plan around work, school, or other important life activities. You may want to do your dialysis in the morning today, but you might need to do it in the evening tomorrow. You control when you do your treatment.
  • Release toxins more often. You will perform home hemodialysis four to six days a week. It’s hard to imagine you would prefer “more frequent” dialysis, but most patients do not mind the extra treatments when they realize how much better they feel with more dialysis.
  • Shorter treatments. Outpatient treatments performed in a dialysis unit usually take around four hours per treatment. Since you do more treatments on home hemodialysis, the treatments are usually shorter in length.
  • Less visits to the unit. On home hemodialysis, you only need to come into the unit once a month to visit with your dialysis nurse and see your doctor.

Is Home Dialysis Right for You?

Explore these resources from Home Dialysis Central and My Life, My Choice to help you determine what type of home dialysis fits you.

Branson Nephrology & Dialysis

We know kidney disease impacts your life and daily activities. Home hemodialysis gives you power over your life again. If you are interested in home hemodialysis, we make sure you and your care partner are ready to take on the responsibility. We give you the knowledge and training you need to perform dialysis at home successfully.

Contact Us

Ready to explore home hemodialysis? Call us today to make an appointment or use our general contact form to ask questions about receiving dialysis at home.