Renal Home Support Scheme quality initiative

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Home dialysis patient visits faced challenges in 1995.
• Justification for home visits required a robust approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To justify the practice of home visits for dialysis patients.
• To establish a baseline standard for home dialysis care.
• To support the implementation of the Renal Home Support Scheme.

Main Methods:

• Benchmarking approach including literature search.
• Surveys of patients, primary health carers, and dialysis units across Australia.
• Auditing and annual review of established standards.

Main Results:

• Results favored home visits, supporting their continuation.
• A baseline standard of at least one home visit every 6 months was established.
• The Renal Home Support Scheme was successfully implemented in Queensland in 1996.

Conclusions:

• Home visits are a valuable component of dialysis patient care.
• The established standard provides a benchmark for quality in home dialysis.
• The Renal Home Support Scheme demonstrated potential for efficient healthcare delivery, particularly for specific populations.