Tips for Traveling Kidney Patients

There are a lot of reasons that call for patients to travel. For those of who may have had a kidney transplant or are on dialysis, it can be a bit daunting to travel however, these tips will ensure you a safe and smart trip.

First off, can kidney patients travel?

Of course! Kidney patients can travel while continuing their treatment far from home. It should be noted that before any trip, a patient should consult their doctor. If the patient’s health is stable, the doctors will most likely support traveling as a means of boosting morale.

How about hemodialysis patients?

Before beginning to plan the trip, make sure to look up dialysis centers who may have staff members who specialize in arranging transient dialysis. You can either ask your social worker or primary nurse if a staff member exists at your local centers.

The next course of action should begin around six to eight weeks beforehand. Take into consideration that there may be limited space in dialysis units; therefore, planning a flexible trip would be ideal. Due to the possibility of limited space, it would be best to contact your center to notify which days and times you would like or treatments on.

Where and how can I find a center to dialyze at?

Your local dialyzing center and their staff members should be able to assist you. Yet, either asking those you are visiting or picking up resource publications at your local center wouldn’t be a bad idea.

I’ve had an emergency and I need to travel ASAP!

Fret not, different dialysis centers try their best for every patient no matter what the situation! If you can fax your dialysis records or have them handy on you is the best way to go.

What information should I prepare before visiting my transient dialysis center?

Having these following information ready would help your center better plan for your treatment:

-Dates that you need dialysis treatment
-Name, address, etc.
-Medical history and recent physical exam reports
-Recent lab results
-Recent EKG
-Recent chest x-ray
-Your dialysis prescription and 3 to 5 recent treatment records
-Dialysis access type
-Special needs or dialysis requirements
-Information about your general health
-Insurance information
-Where you will be staying in the area
-A list of the medications you take during treatment and at home

This information should be sent to your center for review. The more the doctor and transient center know about you, the better the quality of care for your unique needs will be at the visiting center. Additionally, having a hard copy would be helpful.

What’s the best way to ensure quality of care while away from my home center?

Try asking these questions when making arrangements:

-Does the center reuse dialyzers?
-Does the center reuse bloodlines?
-What’s the average treatment length of dialysis at the center?
-Can they provide the treatment time your doctor has prescribed?
-What are the hours and days of operation (*Note: Traveling patients are often placed in the evening shift from 7:30pm to 2:00am)
-What types of dialyzers are used?
-Can you use the same type of dialyzer you use at your home center?
-What types of dialysis machine does the center have (conventional, high flux capability)?
-Does the center routinely provide lidocaine?
-Are patients permitted to eat or drink while on dialysis?
-Is an ice machine available for patients?
-Is public transportation available to get to the center?
-How many patients are assigned to each nurse or patient care technician?
-Can you get all the medication you get at your home center during dialysis?

What should I do if I get sick while visiting another center?

Make sure to make enough time to enjoy your trip while sticking to realistic plans! Be careful to watch your diet and fluid intake as well. Almost certainly, you will have a doctor readily assigned to you before your trip. Finding out the best way to contact the doctor when you first arrive would be best in case of an emergency. That way, in case you feel a bit under the weather, you can call either the doctor or the center you are visiting.

Although it is possible for patients to be hospitalized while on a visit, your doctor will be prepared to take care of you. The doctor will communicate with your regular doctor in order to assess the best care. Unfortunately, hospitalization can create a dent in your plans so it would be helpful to consider these factors:

-Make sure your family knows your travel plans
-Make sure you have important phone numbers with names of your regular doctor, dialysis center, etc. You should have a copy of your medical records with you while traveling.
-Make sure anyone who is traveling with you knows where you keep your records and what your medical needs are.
-Make sure to bring enough of the medications you need to take to last for the entire trip, with enough extra to deal with possible emergencies such as lost luggage or a spill. Also carry written prescriptions just in case.

Is it possible to conduct a home hemodialysis on a trip?

Yes, however it should be noted that this requires making prior arrangements. It would be especially helpful to check with their dialysis care team first before performing their own treatment. Remember to pack all your essentials such as the machine itself, necessary supplies and a portable water treatment equipment. Regardless of whether you chose to conduct your own treatment, make sure to know where the nearest dialysis center is. Carrying their toll-free number or notifying them of your at-home treatment could potentially relieve any future problems.

What about patients with peritoneal dialysis?

Some things that patients with peritoneal dialysis should know before traveling is that they should arrange back-up medical care for any trip. Although it is easier for these patients to travel since they aren’t as dependent on the dialysis unit, this precaution could be very helpful in any unforeseen event. Just as any patient should, you should contact the back-up medical care and send your medical records as well as carry your own hard copy as well.

Any CAPD patients are advised to carry extra supplies just in case. If you are delivering supplies to your destination, make sure that they arrive before you leave for your destination.

Any APD patients that are planning a trip over one week should plan to have their supplies delivered to their destination. It is now easier to carry cycler machines into airplanes, hotels, and any other places now that there are smaller machines available.

Could I travel if I’m active on a transplant waiting list?

As long as you provide necessary traveling information to your transplant coordinator, they should be able to help decide whether to pursue the trip or return with a reasonable time before a kidney is available. This goes without saying that you should ask your coordinator to contact you if a kidney does become available.

How about traveling diabetic patients?

Try to carry glucose tablets and appropriate snacks in case the unexpected happens while on a trip. This would be great in a situation where meals are delayed since you would be able to control and pack a nutritional supplement snack or meal. If you have insulin, syringes and blood glucose monitoring supplies can make it also easier on you while you travel.

Does my insurance cover my treatments while I’m out and about?

For commercial insurance users, you will need to request a letter from your insurance first beforehand. This letter will entail that they will pay for your treatment. Make sure to allow for enough planning for both your insurance party as well as yourself.

For those covered by Medicare, they will pay 80% of your treatment costs within the U.S. The remaining 20% will be covered by your own means of payment. A secondary insurance may cover the remaining 20% as well. Make sure to check the transient center about their policy since some Medicare programs may not pay for treatment outside of your home state.

Need more information?

Check these resources out!

-Easy Access to National Parks, by Sierra Club Books, available at bookstores or order from the Sierra Club at 1-800-935-1056.

-Management of Diabetes During Intercontinental Travel, available free from The Diabetic Traveler, P.O.. Box 8223 RW, Stamford, CT 06905; (203) 327-5832.

-“The List,” a comprehensive list of international dialysis centers accepting transient patients. Available from Dialysis & Transplantation, 7628 Densmore Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91406-2088. (Most dialysis centers have a copy.)

-Also available are companies that specialize in vacation and travel planning for dialysis patients, such as cruises, foreign travel, and wilderness travel. Camps are available for dialysis and transplant patients (both adults and children). Contact your local National Kidney Foundation office for more information and a directory of camps. Your health care team can also give you more information about these options.

Important takeaways!

-Having a hard copy of your medical information will come in handy
-Carrying enough if not more of your medication to last long enough during your trip could help in case of an unexpected emergency
-Carry your written prescription in case you run out of your medication
-Inform personnel at check in if you need assistance boarding your transportation. This action could help for a smooth arrival and any appropriate instructions
-When making arrangements, make sure to add any special instructions to provided meals on either a plane or train
-Ask for a handicapped-accessible room at your hotel reservation if distance is a problem
-If you are coordinating your trip with a travel agent, inform the agent of any needs you may need. Some agents will even go as far as giving you advice in regards to your trip and safe transport of your dialysis suppliers in foreign countries