Home dialysis and dialysis treatment modalities in the VA system

A questionnaire was sent to 50 Veterans Administration dialysis centers to inquire about treatment utilization in preparation for a Cooperative Dialysis Study. Thirty-five completed questionnaires in this survey identified a dialysis population of 2,483 patients including 452 contract patients (13.5%). The number of patients treated in-center was 1,101 (48.5%), including 239 on self-care (10.2%), and 930 patients (38.0%) were dialyzed at home. This high utilization rate of home dialysis appears in excess of three times the prevalence of home dialysis experienced overall in non-VA programs. Identification of factors responsible for the present emphasis on home programs in the VA and a corresponding analysis of non-VA programs should provide important information for the planning of future national ESRD policies.