Highlights• Australian patients with kidney disease who require hemodialysis can travel and not miss their lifesaving dialysis treatments thanks to a new holiday dialysis program created in partnership by Kidney Health Australia and Monash Health.• Results from a study of the Big Red Kidney Bus program will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2015 November 3–8 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.
Newswise — San Diego, CA (November 7, 2015) — Australians receiving hemodialysis can now plan to take vacations thanks to the Kidney Health Australia’s Big Red Kidney Bus holiday dialysis program. Results from a study of the Big Red Kidney Bus program will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2015 November 3–8 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.
Holiday dialysis chair capacity is low in Australia making it very difficult for patients to organize travel and holidays. To address this need, KHA launched the Big Red Kidney Bus in October 2014 in partnership with Monash Health, a public hospital in Victoria. To date the program has provided holidays for 176 patients across five popular holiday destinations with 227 bookings made up to February, 2016.
“The Big Red Kidney Bus is a wonderful example of collaboration between patients, clinicians, and the charitable sector coming together to make a huge difference to the lives of Australians on hemodialysis,” said Anne Wilson, Managing Director and CEO of Kidney Health Australia.
The Big Red Kidney Bus is fitted out to clinical standards containing three dialysis chairs. This model of service delivery goes beyond the satellite and outreach services that operate in regional, rural, and remote areas of Australia and overseas. To optimize safety, the Big Red Kidney Bus holiday dialysis program has stringent eligibility and admission criteria.
Evaluation of the program to date has revealed overwhelming satisfaction with the quality of the service, with all participants highly recommending the Big Red Kidney Bus to others on hemodialysis. Implementation of the program has been very successful leading to demand for a bus to be available in Western Australia and New South Wales.
“We are keen to see the service grow and operate interstate creating the opportunity for more people on dialysis to have a holiday—something the rest of us take for granted,” said Professor Peter G. Kerr, MB, BS, PhD of Monash Health.
Initiated by a rural patient group in Victoria, the Big Red Kidney Bus Program credits its success to the collaboration between KHA and Monash Health. KHA sourced the bus; funded it’s fit-out through donations; manages all promotion; sources and works with locations; and operates the online booking system. Monash Health conducts the clinical operations of the bus including provision of nursing, medical supervision, technical support and provision of dialysis consumables. Monash Health also employs a part-time bus coordinator.
Supporters of the program have come from beyond the health care sector including local businesses, holiday park site managers, the Australian Bus Industry Confederation and community service clubs such as Rotary and Lions.
Study: “The Big Red Kidney Bus: Mobile Holiday Dialysis” (Abstract SA-PO832)
Disclosures: Peter G. Kerr is a consultant for Sanofi, Fresenius Australia, and Amgen Australia; and receives research funding from Nipro Japan and honoraria from Amgen and Sanofi.
ASN Kidney Week 2015, the largest nephrology meeting of its kind, will provide a forum for more than 13,000 professionals to discuss the latest findings in kidney health research and engage in educational sessions related to advances in the care of patients with kidney and related disorders. Kidney Week 2015 will take place November 3–8, 2015, in San Diego, CA.
The content of this article does not reflect the views or opinions of The American Society of Nephrology (ASN). Responsibility for the information and views expressed therein lies entirely with the author(s). ASN does not offer medical advice. All content in ASN publications is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions, or adverse effects. This content should not be used during a medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health care provider if you have any questions about a medical condition, or before taking any drug, changing your diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment. Do not ignore or delay obtaining professional medical advice because of information accessed through ASN. Call 911 or your doctor for all medical emergencies.
Founded in 1966, and with nearly 16,000 members, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) leads the fight against kidney disease by educating health professionals, sharing new knowledge, advancing research, and advocating the highest quality care for patients.
Founded in 1968, Kidney Health Australia is a not for profit organization whose focus is to promote good kidney health through education, advocacy, research and support.# # #
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