VANCOUVER—A Canadian hospital has set up a pilot nocturnal dialysis program that allows kidney disease patients, who want nighttime dialysis, but can’t set their homes up for it, to administer their own care while having a nurse and technician on hand in case of a serious emergency.
Dialysis patients in Vancouver General Hospital’s (VGH) pilot program are trained to manage every aspect of their dialysis treatment—from ordering their supplies and setting up the machine to inserting needles and drawing their own bloodwork.
VGH said its program is Canada’s first independent in-center nocturnal dialysis program, which allows patients to independently administer their own dialysis runs three times per week, from 10 pm to 6 am, while they sleep at the hospital. Nurses and technicians will be available in the hospital if there any serious problems.
Similar hospital-based programs exist in Toronto and Edmonton, but patients in those programs have their dialysis administered by staff. In the VGH pilot project, however, each patient has gone through an intensive six weeks of training so they can safely administer their own treatments.
Hemodialysis patients typically undergo hospital or clinic-based dialysis, three times per week, four hours per visit. Home dialysis is available in Canada, but some patients can’t dialyze at home due to the home renovations required to accommodate the specialized equipment, or their living situations prevent it. Nocturnal dialysis is another option for them.
“Not only is the new nocturnal dialysis more convenient for patients but it utilizes resources to provide them with the most advanced renal care available,” said Canada’s Health Services Minister George Abbott. “Through innovative approaches to delivering healthcare such as the nocturnal dialysis program, we are delivering better health outcomes for British Columbians.”
The nocturnal dialysis pilot project began Jan. 5 and ends March 31. Funding for the pilot project, C$46,000, was provided by the BC Renal Agency, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority. The BC Provincial Renal Agency plans and monitors the delivery of province-wide kidney care services.
If the program is successful, the facility-based nocturnal dialysis program will be expanded to allow more patient participation, both at the VGH location and province-wide.
Overnight dialysis takes as long as eight hours. VHG said this longer process removes more impurities from the patient’s blood, resulting in patients with higher energy levels who require fewer medications to keep their disease in check.
“There is clear evidence that increased patient self care and longer dialysis runs improve outcomes, which is why the BC Renal Agency and renal programs across the province have placed such an emphasis on helping patients to be independent,” said Dr. Adeera Levin, executive director of the BC Provincial Renal Agency. “Approximately 145 patients manage their hemodialysis at home, and we are expanding options for those who want to maintain their independence, but can’t dialyze at home.”
