Home dialysis and post-surgery care in the COVID-19 era

It appears to be challenging times for people with kidney issues, especially with restrictions on hospital appointments, save for emergencies that require hospital remedy. Whether it is home-based therapy, like counseling from your phone or phone therapy through calls or text messages to your doctor for consultation, it is evident that the emergence of COVID-19 has fueled the need for less face-to-face contact with therapists. With the outbreak of COVID-19, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Centers for disease control and prevention have ensured that dialysis patients can take their treatment during this precarious time.

On the flip side, the reevaluation of the health care system has led to novel ways that you can employ to manage your health as you do your dialysis or post-surgery care. The latest study on Dialysis modality and survival has proven that patients who undergo dialysis at home have better outcomes than patients who make routine trips to health care centers. According to experts, COVID-19 outbreaks across hemodialysis facilities have placed patients, their families, and health care workers at risk.

If you recently did the surgery, you must continue to follow the guidelines set to prevent infection like, avoiding large crowds and practicing social distancing. You may also need to discuss plans for your follow-up visits and care as well as limiting visitors in your home after your surgery. With fewer health facility visits and a better ability to adhere to social distancing guidelines, home-based dialysis has a clear advantage. This information is in the data relating to COVID-19 infection collected by the United Kingdom Renal Registry and the Ontario Renal Network. Data from the Ontario Renal Network reveals that the rate of increase in COVID-19 positivity among patients on center-based hemodialysis was threefold more than those receiving home dialysis. Data from the United States is still pending.

 Home-based therapy for kidney patients with symptoms of COVID-19

People with advanced chronic kidney disease specifically, those in dialysis, are vulnerable. The case for personalized home-based dialysis lies in its ability to let your doctor or healthcare manage you remotely. Home dialysis makes you responsible for your care. In this regard, the Advancing American Kidney Health Initiative (AAKHI) emphasizes that home dialysis should thrive so that patients can participate in their treatment. It also gives room for lifestyle flexibility. Some other advantages of home dialysis include saving time, limited travel from center to home, and lower cost. However, home dialysis is underdeveloped for clinical, cultural, and economic reasons. In-hospital dialysis is usually simpler for nursing staff and less demanding for the patient. Others also argue that it reduces the physician's involvement. The good news is that dialysis physicians invented solutions to deal with the challenges that came with the pandemic. The lockdown has helped prevent the spread of COVID-19; it has revealed that home dialysis is an ideal approach in a pandemic.

COVID-19 and post-surgery care

The outbreak of COVID-19 has led to delays of elective surgeries or surgeries that are not considered an emergency. If you recently did the surgery, you must take steps to protect yourself and those around you. Some surgeries may make you more prone to infections. Consult your physician if your recovery affects your risk of getting COVID-19. You suspect that you have symptoms of COVID-19, self-quarantine for 14 days, and monitor your temperature regularly. When you visit your doctor for follow-up care, consider telehealth video or phone calls and visits from home care professionals. If you must go to the doctor's, ensure that you wear a mask, wash your hands frequently, and practice social distancing as stipulated in the COVID-19 guidelines.

ESKD health care reforms

There are two main healthcare reforms for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) that have increased support for home-based dialysis that aids in reducing risks presented by the COVID-19 19 pandemic. First is the ESKD prospective payment system with a reimbursement structure that has encouraged the increased use of home-based dialysis in the United States. Second is the recently signed Executive Order on Advancing American Kidney Health that aims to reduce ESKD-related costs while improving care. Due to the lower risk of COVID-19 19 exposure from home-based dialysis, more patients are resistant to COVID-19 19 morbidity and mortality limiting the spread of infection in communities. Besides, older patients will benefit from home dialysis. In the United Kingdom and Canada, older people have assistance when they wish to have home-based dialysis; Research shows that patient satisfaction is higher for assisted dialysis than in-center dialysis.

Home-based therapy has become the order of the day due to the emergence of COVID-19. Hence, you must ensure that whether it is home-based dialysis or post-surgery care, the COVID-19 guidelines, especially the stay-at-home directive, should be followed as much as possible. If you are going for elective surgery, you will do well to postpone the surgery if your condition does not require urgent attention. A UK study shows that COVID-19 19 patients who undergo surgery are at increased risk of postoperative death and pulmonary complications.

The COVID-19 era has made health experts more innovative in administering care; the same should apply to you. If you have underlying health conditions, you should consult your physician before undergoing any form of dialysis, whether home-based or in-center. In the case of home-based dialysis, you should try to do it independently or get a skilled caregiver to do it for you. Anyone who handles the dialysis equipment must also follow all the guidelines like sanitizing and regular hand washing.