Most commonly, a traditional in-center hemodialysis offers comfortable seating, convenient hours and entertainment for your three treatments a week. This will help you pass the time during each approximately four-hour long session. However, what really differentiates our dialysis centers is the level of care provided. Each of our dialysis centers has a physician on site during your treatments. Each of our centers is co-located with Kidney Hypertension Clinic, ensuring a board-certified physician is available to address any medical issues that may occur during treatment.
The continuity of care offered is the absolute most important factor in a patient's health. When the doctor's practice and the dialysis center are co-located, you are cared for by your physician during office visits, and during your tri-weekly dialysis sessions. You'll see a familiar face - a professional who knows your unique case - and continuity in the treatment you receive.
This same continuity of care is provided if the patient is hospitalized for any reason related - or even unrelated - to kidney failure. Your dialysis physician will be the same nephrologist in the hospital. Your physician will be able to treat you with the complete picture, enabling optimal care and eliminating unnecessary testing or medications that can be harmful to your health.
While your dialysis treatment is as safe as possible, there may be situations that come up when immediate attention from a physician is necessary. When your doctor is on site during your dialysis, you have the peace of mind you need and the assurance that you will receive immediate care for anything from allergic reactions to low blood pressure.
If a patient has an abnormal lab reult, the physician can make changes to treatment, medications and any orders immediately. This applies not only in case of an emergency, but for any questions and concerns that may arise.
For Dr. Pranab Chattopadhyay, a board-certified physician at Nephron Dialysis Centers' Dialysis Center of Athens, being on site benefits the patient in many ways.
"I had a patient who transferred to Nephron Dialysis Centers from one of the bigger named clinics, and within a few treatments I realized the patient's kidney functions were actually good. I immediately changed the order from three days a week to one and will be monitoring prior to discharging patient. This is no fault to the clinic they came from, but such a change can only be made from a qualified physician, not a nurse or a physician that just floats in and out. It was a moment of pride for me."
Simply put, your dialysis center should offer on-site care and consultation from a doctor in the practice in which you are a patient. This unique factor offers patients unbeatable care along with the ability to change their plan of care with a quickness that is imperative for end stage renal disease patients.
The entire team, including a renal nurse and a nutritionist, are available to help answer your questions and address your concerns. When your dialysis center is part of a physician's practice, you'll have many resources and caring staff members available during your treatments.
Each of Nephron Dialysis Centers' state-of-the-art Dialysis Centers has physicians on site to monitor your ongoing treatment and to ensure your experience is as comfortable and safe as possible. Our centers also has labs and pharmacies to take care of any issues immediately.
Our patient educational resources can answer many of your questions including those related to working while on dialysis and what to eat on dialysis. We want to partner with you and provide the information you need for life during dialysis.
We utilize prescription courier service provided by dialysis specialty pharmacy with a round the clock pharmacist to ensure treatment is never compromised and any contraindicative medications.
Nephron Dialysis Centers has eight North Georgia centers in Gwinnett, Walton, Barrow, and Clarke counties.