Integrated care

Abstract

The integrated care model for delivering RRT offers apparent advantages in patient choice, optimal survival, and economical use of resources. Dialysis and transplantation have always been used that way; but, by integrating all three treatments--HD, PD, and transplantation--the options for the multi-professional team and the patients are increased. The practical implications of the approach include the need for all treatments to be available, for patients and professionals to be educated in the approach, and for a change in therapy to be anticipated and accepted, not seen as a mark of treatment failure. Prospective studies are needed to quantify the benefits in a more systematic way.