What's really important?

©1 998 Andrew Lundin, M.D. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission.

 

 

Bill Peckham wrote:

>

> In two months my dialysis provider is opening a new unit one bridge

> closer to me in Seattle. I have the opportunity to influence what the

> patient amenities will be because I serve on the BoD and Executive

> Committee. I know that we have group fantasized about our ideal unit in

> the past but I thought this would be a great opportunity to create a

> model unit in reality. What has surprised me is that the few patients

> I've been able to talk with about this are not that interested in VCR's,

> telephones, pay TV, larger sets or computer access. The feeling I got

> from these patients was that they would see those things as frivolous

> and a waste of money.

>

> My questions to all of you is - How much is too much? Should dialysis

> units self-limit their amenities? Can Internet access be justified at

> the dialysis patients chair?

>

> This is standard issue - One 13" TV per patient, 20+cable TV package

> available, dimmible ceiling light (controlled by staff), standard

> dialysis chair and of course the ice machine. Medically speaking they

> deliver excellent quality dialysis but isn't that just the ante.

>

> --

> Bill

Interesting question. Who pays for the network accesss? I like the

individual TV's but in my experience they are frequently broken and

expensive to repair. patients fight over the stations with the working

TVs. We have a VCR attachment to the TVs but try to get all to agree to

see the same thing. We had phone access and it was abused.

If I sound a bit jaded, its because over the past number of years I have

had to deal with similar issues and there always seem to be a group of

patients who one can never make happy. I have tried to stress the

quality of dialysis and being in control so that wherever one dialyzes

they will now how to take care of themselves. We still have patients

coming back from visits to other units extolling the amenities. When you

ask them how the patients look, they will sometimes admit they don't

look too well and many of those they knew from previous visits are no

longer there. I always find it interesting that staff from other units

are amazed when our patients insist on putting in their own needles. It

is the ultimate control.

All that being said, I think some level of amenities and comforts are

helpful, if not at the expense of quality of care. How do you get the

patients to see that?

Peter Lundin

May 27, 1998

Remember, this information is for education purposes only. Please consult your own physician for specific treatment recommendations. All medical and therapeutic decisions must come from your health care provider.The information obtained through this service, and the information which you receive through the Internet is only for general guideline purposes, and is not an ultimate source of information, nor something which you should rely on as a sole source for your medical care. The authors, editors, producers, sponsors, and contributors shall have no liability, obligation or responsibility to any person or entity for any loss, damage, adverse consequence alleged to have happened directly or indirectly as a consequence of this material.