You will probably find it hard to believe that home hemodialysis can save you time and money. But this is the reality for many people with chronic kidney failure who opt for home hemodialysis instead of going to a hospital or an extended care facility three times a week for regular dialysis sessions. Home hemodialysis reduces your costs in two ways: First, instead of paying for expensive hospital or extended care center stays with standard dialysis, you pay only for the equipment, which can cost one-tenth as much; second, you save on transportation costs since home hemodialysis gives you the flexibility to do it wherever you are most comfortable – whether that’s your house, somewhere else in town, or even while traveling.

Reduce Your Costs With Home Hemodialysis

Home hemodialysis is the process of cleaning your blood using a machine and equipment you set up in your own home. It is a treatment for chronic kidney failure in which the kidneys are either not working properly or have stopped working entirely. Home hemodialysis is a safe and effective treatment that can prolong life and improve quality of life. It is used in patients who are not yet on dialysis treatment but have kidney failure. It also helps bridge patients who need a kidney transplant. Home hemodialysis is one of the less expensive treatment options as compared to regular dialysis. It costs only a tenth as much as hospital-based three-times-a-week dialysis. Home hemodialysis also saves you time by letting you do your dialysis at home. Traditionally, dialysis is done in a hospital or an extended care facility for 3 hours 3 times a week.

Dialysis Equipment May Be Less Than Half The Cost of Hospital Dialysis

If you choose to do home hemodialysis, you will need dialysis equipment and supplies. The cost of this equipment is less than half of what you would pay for a standard hospital dialysis treatment. This is partly because there is no facility fee or extra staff cost. You can also shop around to find a supplier who will give you a discount by buying in bulk. If you are on a government-funded health care program, you can request a personal budget to cover the cost of home hemodialysis supplies such as dialysis machines, supplies, and medications.

You Can Save On Transportation By Doing Home Hemodialysis

You will save money on transportation by doing home hemodialysis. Being able to do your dialysis where and when you want lets you avoid the cost and hassle of transportation to the hospital or extended care facility. One patient who did home hemodialysis for years had a dialysis center about 5 miles from her home. But she did her regular dialysis in the morning when she was on a break from her retail job. Her co-workers didn’t know about her health condition. Home hemodialysis also gives you the flexibility to dialyze while traveling by RV or cruise ship.

Other Ways Home Hemodialysis Saves You Money

Home hemodialysis can help you avoid hospitalization. The average cost per hospitalization for a person with chronic kidney failure is $15,000, according to one report. Home hemodialysis also allows you to get support and education from your health care team. Your team can help you troubleshoot problems with your dialysis machine, provide useful tips, and answer your questions. Home hemodialysis can help you avoid infection. Standard hospital dialysis has a high infection rate of nearly 10%. But infection with dialysis is rare with home hemodialysis, since you can control the cleanliness of your equipment and your own environment. Home hemodialysis can help you avoid the risk of blood clots with hospital dialysis. Standard hospital dialysis is linked to a high risk of blood clots. But blood clots are rare with home hemodialysis.

Conclusion

Standard hospital-based or extended care center dialysis is expensive. It costs about $100 per treatment per session for a standard 3-times-a-week dialysis. By opting for home hemodialysis, you can save about $600 per week. You can reduce the costs of home hemodialysis by buying used equipment, choosing the least expensive brands, and shopping around for the best prices. Home hemodialysis not only saves you money but also improves your health and quality of life. It also gives you more freedom to live your life as you choose.