As the COVD-19 pandemic continues to cause problems for Americans across the country, many people have been concerned about their ability to access the care that they need. Naturally, many patients are worried about where they can turn if they fall ill, and what it could potentially cost them. Being able to see all the necessary care providers is of particular concern for patients like me who have end-stage renal disease (ESRD). ESRD can compromise a patient’s immune system, making us vulnerable to serious health problems even if they were to just get the seasonal flu. Now, with a virus [...]

From the moment I was diagnosed with kidney disease, I was fortunate to receive outstanding care and support from my providers. I know that it played a key role in my ability to get a transplant, as I live in an area with one of the longest wait times in the country. In fact, I was encouraged to get listed at multiple locations, ultimately receiving my transplant in another state. Unfortunately, many dialysis patients do not receive this level of coordinated care among their providers. From my own personal experience, I can tell you that one of the best ways [...]

Despite months of research and progress, it still seems like we learn something new about COVID-19 every day, ranging from how it affects patients with certain pre-existing conditions to new information on the long-term health risks the virus poses to those who contract it. Now, as more information continues to come to light, it is imperative that we use what we do know to help prepare doctors and patients for the challenges that may yet lie ahead. This is especially true for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD patients are already considered high-risk patients for COVID-19, and now new [...]

Preserving patient choice is central to a successful treatment plan.

My daughter’s kidneys failed when she was just 23 years old, marking the beginning of a long and difficult path on dialysis. Her treatments were incredibly straining and gradually weakened her until, about ten years ago, she had to undergo open-heart surgery because of the stress her dialysis treatments put on her circulatory system. Throughout the entire process, though, we were fortunate to work with a great medical team. My daughter’s nephrologist also handles her primary care, and works closely alongside her cardiologist to share information about her appointments and ensure that their treatments do not interfere with each other. [...]

For many patients, adjusting to life with kidney disease means change. From new diet restrictions to multiple weekly dialysis treatments, being diagnosed with kidney disease can create a sudden and difficult shift in a person’s daily lifestyle. Unfortunately, for many patients on dialysis these changes are made all the more challenging by a lack of a truly cohesive, coordinated treatment plan. Instead, patients find themselves juggling appointments, medications, and more that force them into duplicative appointments and drive up their health care costs because there is not a system in place for their doctors to easily and proactively share information [...]

As we move toward the fall season, the COVID-19 pandemic still poses a major threat to people living here in Iowa, as well as others across the U.S. With public health still top-of-mind, it is important that we do everything we can to protect high-risk patients, especially those living with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). ESRD is a serious condition that requires patients to go through several hours-long dialysis treatments each week. The disease also compromises patients’ immune systems, which is particularly dangerous right now. For many ESRD patients, their risk is further heightened by the fact that they also have [...]

I am a lifelong Oregonian and suffer from stage 5 chronic kidney disease, meaning I depend on dialysis to live. Through my treatments, I've seen first-hand the importance of coordinated care for myself and others with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Care coordination is a system where each of a patient's health care providers proactively share information with each other, including what treatments they prescribe and what follow-up care they provide. This helps improve care for the patient, especially those with ESRD, and also ultimately lowers costs for both the patient and their providers. ​ Unfortunately, many patients don't get that [...]

Since 2009, I have served as my father’s in-home caregiver as he undergoes dialysis treatments. In that time, we’ve had the incredible fortune of working with supportive and attentive medical staff who helped us as we learned about life with dialysis. Because of this great medical care, my father was, until a recent amputation, able to maintain an active lifestyle as a pastor and enjoy his favorite outdoor activities like fishing. However, there was a lot of work involved for me early on in the process as his caregiver, including asking the right questions during appointments, managing medications, and ensuring [...]

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been much attention devoted to improving care for high-risk patients in Oregon and throughout the nation who have chronic health problems which hinder their ability to fight off the virus. During all of this, however, relatively little attention has been given to the difficulties faced by those with end-stage renal disease, who depend on dialysis treatments several times a week just to live. ESRD has a significant negative impact on immune systems, and many of these patients have other conditions, like diabetes, which are also especially vulnerable to the COVID virus. Unfortunately, the doctors [...]