Locations for renal services--patient satisfaction surveys

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Healthcare Management
• Patient Services Research

Background:

• Renal services in Northern Ireland were prioritized for improvement to match European standards.
• Patient perspectives on renal replacement therapy services were assessed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate patient satisfaction with renal services before and after establishing a sub-regional unit.
• To determine the impact of facility location on patient adherence to treatment.

Main Methods:

• Two surveys were conducted with patients receiving renal replacement therapy.
• Survey I assessed views at the regional center; Survey II assessed views at a new sub-regional unit.
• Patient travel times and willingness to increase treatment frequency were key metrics.

Main Results:

• Initial survey revealed long travel times as a major barrier, with 33% unwilling to increase twice-weekly haemodialysis.
• Post-establishment of the sub-regional unit, travel times decreased significantly.
• Patients in the new unit reported similar or better service quality and were willing to increase to thrice-weekly haemodialysis.

Conclusions:

• Relocating dialysis facilities closer to patients' homes demonstrably improves service accessibility and patient compliance.
• Decentralized renal services enhance patient experience and treatment adherence.
• The study highlights the critical role of proximity in effective renal care delivery.