What to Ask Your Healthcare Team
What to Ask Your Healthcare Team
Print out this chart, and bring it along on your next doctor's visit. Ask your doctor if there are any other treatment pros and cons you should consider.
Print the list of questions below, add any special concerns you may have and take it to your next appointment.
Some questions you might want to ask:
| Hemodialysis | ||
| Positives | Possible Negatives | |
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| Staff performs treatment (center) | Requires travel to a center | |
| Regular contact with people in the center | Fixed treatment schedule | |
| Three times per week | Requires a partner for home hemodialysis | |
| No external access required | Permanent internal access | |
| No equipment/supplies at home | Two needle sticks for each treatment | |
| Travel not required for home hemodialysis | Diet and fluid restricted | |
| Some risk of infection | ||
| Peritoneal Dialysis | ||
| Positives | Possible Negatives | |
| Patient involved in self-care | Four exchanges per day | |
| Control over schedule/freedom | Permanent external catheter | |
| Once a month clinic visits | Some risk of infection | |
| No needles | Potential weight gain | |
| More steady physical condition | Supplies stored at home | |
| Less restricted diet | Body image change | |
| Benefit | In -center Hemodialysis | Peritoneal dialysis | ||
| Can have dialysis sessions at the best time for you each week | NOT ALWAYS | YES | ||
| Can easily get to know other patients and see them on a regular basis at centers | YES | NO | ||
| Can do treatment at home | NO | YES | ||
| Easy to do dialysis while traveling | NOT ALWAYS | YES | ||
| Suits someone with this attitude: "I'm independent. I preferred to learn about my treatment and be responsible for it myself." | NO | YES | ||
| Suits someone with this attitude:"When it comes to my treatment, I'm more comfortable if someone else is responsible for everything." | YES | NO | ||
| Requires a special diet and a special fluid allowance | YES | YES | ||
| Can participate in most sports and activities, except for contact sports | YES | YES | ||
| Can easily go to school or work full time | NOT ALWAYS | YES | ||
