Louisiana State University Nephrology: Initiation of a Multicenter Urgent-Start Peritoneal Dialysis Program

Urgent-start peritoneal dialysis (PD) refers to the initiation of PD in new-start end-stage renal disease patients who present either emergently in the hospital or urgently in clinic. These patients are called "late-referred patients." Our academic practice group, like many private practice and academic groups, currently functions within 4 hospitals and 4 clinics. The patient base consists of a large indigent population with limited access to health care and also of insured patients. An urgent-start PD program was initiated to provide all patients with a choice of dialysis modality.Our faculty understood that, for their urgent-start PD program to be successful, they had to have the support of the house staff, hospitalists, surgeons, and the PD nurse. The education began with grand rounds on urgent-start PD in the medicine department. We also educated the hospitalists at the other private hospitals on our urgent-start program. Once the primary care services were comfortable with urgent-start PD, our nephrology group then educated the surgeons about best-practice guidelines for PD catheter placement. At that time, a direct feedback communication loop was created between the PD nurse, surgeon, and nephrologist about the placement and functionality of the catheter. Here, we present our success in the creation of an urgent-start PD program.