Table 1.

University of Alabama at Birmingham home dialysis program growth: key strategies

Key Strategies
Education
Emphasis on timely and repetitive patient-tailored education
Experienced and engaged nurse practitioner–led dialysis modality education
Using dialysis provider’s CKD educator for in-hospital dialysis education
Structured curriculum for trainees in home dialysis
Access
Use of existing access coordinators in the home dialysis program
Use interventional radiology and surgery for access placement
Protocols developed to triage patients for PD access in a timely fashion
Teamwork
Dedicated and experienced team of home dialysis nurses
Emphasis on staff engagement and leadership for nurses
Multipronged approach to dialysis modality education
Strong collaboration with dialysis provider
Dedicated effort from two nephrologists toward the home dialysis program
Other
Using innovative approaches like telenephrology and assisted PD
Easy availability of urgent start for PD and HHD
Decreasing attrition by reducing burden of treatment, and other strategies
Repurposing existing resources toward the home dialysis program such as access coordinators, APPs, and dialysis provider’s CKD educator

APP, advanced practice providers; PD, peritoneal dialysis; HHD, home hemodialysis.