Management of COVID-19 in an Outpatient Dialysis Program

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic became an increasingly urgent issue of public health concern in the United States. Patients on dialysis are considered to be at increased risk for infection due to their medical comorbidities and need for continued face-to-face encounters in dialysis units. In our outpatient dialysis practice, 42 out of 269 patients (15.6%) were infected with COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic. In this retrospective report, we review issues of infection control, access to interventional procedures, and communication encountered in our practice. We discuss lessons learned in patient outcomes and the importance of transitioning patients to home modalities. Further planning for a potential second wave of COVID-19 may help ensure improved quality of care for patients in the dialysis program.