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Patient Engagement: Can innovative techniques empower patients to better manage their kidney disease?

2024-03-28T21:06:24-04:00October 23rd, 2014|Categories: eNews, Lifestyle, Physical Health|Tags: |

A new buzzword popular among health care leaders is “patient engagement,” sometimes referred to as “beneficiary engagement” when referring to Medicare beneficiaries.  What does this concept mean for kidney patients?  In general, patient engagement refers to transforming patients from passive recipients of health care to active partners, with their providers, in self-management of their disease.  We often hear from veteran dialysis patients that success in avoiding complications depends on the patient taking on an active role in his or her health care and working with clinicians on a “two-way street.” While this kind of active engagement is certainly typical among the [...]

Don’t take Your Mental Health for Granted

2024-03-28T21:06:27-04:00September 18th, 2014|Categories: eNews, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Quality of Life|

End stage renal disease (ESRD) or kidney failure is the end of your kidney function, not your life.  As a result, the DPC Education Center entered into an exciting new collaboration with the American Psychological Association (APA).  We recently held our first joint webinar and Regional Meeting in Detroit. Click here to view the recorded webinar. The diagnosis of stage 5 kidney disease or ESRD can be devastating.  Grieving the loss of your kidney function is normal as long as it does not interfere with living your life to the fullest. Typically, the doctors focus on the physical aspects of your [...]

September is Disaster Preparedness Month

2024-03-28T21:06:28-04:00September 18th, 2014|Categories: eNews, Lifestyle, Quality of Life, Staying Healthy, Stress Management|Tags: |

Are you prepared for any disaster that might impact your life or your ability to dialyze?  Depending on where you live, there are many different types of disasters.  You and your family should have a plan in place and practice your plan so that when the need arises, you can stay calm and be prepared. You also should have alternative plans and specific means to communicate any changes that might occur.  Dialysis clinics are required to provide disaster plans to their patients and practice drills.  Your dialysis team will instruct you how to take yourself off of your dialysis machine if [...]

Exciting News from the Bloodstream Infection (BSI) Prevention Collaborative

2024-03-28T21:06:35-04:00January 23rd, 2014|Categories: eNews, Lifestyle|Tags: , , |

Since 2011, DPC has been involved with the BSI Prevention Collaborative and was the first patient group to participate and attended the inaugural meeting in November 2011. The primary goal of the collaborative is preventing bloodstream infections in hemodialysis patients with the secondary role of increasing awareness in the dialysis community. The group is open to most outpatient dialysis facilities throughout the United States and other community partners. Facilities that participate get access to best practices from experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and from others who are directly applying safety precautions in their own clinic. Members [...]

Your Diet After A Kidney Transplant

2024-03-28T21:06:46-04:00April 29th, 2013|Categories: eNews, Kidney Transplant, News & Events, Nutrition, Staying Healthy, Treatment|

After you receive a transplant, it is possible that many of the diet restrictions you had during dialysis will disappear. This however, doesn’t mean that proper nutrition is any less important.  Also, if you have other conditions like hypertension and diabetes, you will need to continue following those diet restrictions. Diet and proper nutrition become even more important because some of the immunosuppressants can also increase blood sugar levels leading to an increased risk of diabetes and increase your appetite. Also, even though many of your dialysis related restrictions go away, there are still things that you should keep doing. These [...]

Go Ahead, Indulge Your Sweet Tooth!

2024-03-28T21:06:51-04:00March 4th, 2013|Categories: Blog, News & Events, Nutrition, Recipes, Staying Healthy|

Since it has been a long winter, DPC would like to share a late holiday gift. What better way to take your mind off of the snow accumulation and wind chill than a couple of renal friendly dessert recipes! Dessert is often one of the first things cut from the renal diet, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Most desserts contain chocolate or milk, which are foods high in phosphorous and potassium that can lead to bone and heart problems. This does limit dessert options for kidney patients, however, we all deserve a treat every now and then. [...]

Albumin and Chronic Kidney Disease

2024-03-28T21:06:59-04:00January 4th, 2013|Categories: eNews, News & Events, Nutrition, Peritoneal Dialysis, Staying Healthy|

What is albumin? Albumin is a protein, found in animal sources such as meats, milk-products, and eggs. It is also found in plant sources such as beans, nuts, and seeds. Albumin provides the body with the protein needed to both maintain growth and repair tissues. It can also help with fluid removal during the dialysis treatment. If your albumin level is good, fluid will move more easily from swollen tissues into the blood, where it can then be removed by the dialyzer. For dialysis patients, the preferred range for the serum (blood) albumin is 4.0 g/dl or greater. What can cause your Albumin level to drop? [...]

The Power of Iron

2024-03-28T21:07:06-04:00January 4th, 2013|Categories: eNews, Fact Sheet, Nutrition, What Is Kidney Disease|

Why is iron so important in kidney disease? The answer is that iron can help with anemia (a lack of red blood cells), which is a common problem for people with kidney disease. Anemia can be a significant problem for you as a kidney patient because of the nature of kidney disease. The kidneys have four basic functions: Removal of waste products Maintain fluid balance Restore electrolyte and acid/base balance Stimulate the release of certain hormones The dialysis process takes care of the first three functions. The hormone erythropoietin (or “EPO”) stimulates your bone marrow to produce red blood cells. Your [...]

Be Prepared During an Emergency with this Meal Plan for Dialysis Patients

2024-03-28T21:07:09-04:00December 20th, 2012|Categories: eNews, News & Events, Nutrition, Staying Healthy|Tags: |

Emergencies happen every day and the more prepared you are for an emergency the better your outcome will be. Depending on the situation and on the stage of your kidney disease, you may be without your normal clinic or unable to grab all of your home supplies. You should have an emergency survival kit that includes: Food and water for each person for three days Flashlight with fresh batteries First aid kit Three days’ worth of medications Prescriptions and instructions to administer in case you are unable to communicate Emergency numbers for your doctors and or dialysis center If you are a [...]

Following a Diet as a Transplant Patient

2024-03-28T21:07:10-04:00December 20th, 2012|Categories: eNews, Kidney Transplant, News & Events, Nutrition, Staying Healthy|

After you receive a transplant, it is possible that many of the diet restrictions you had during dialysis will disappear. This however, doesn’t mean that proper nutrition is any less important.  Also, if you have other conditions like hypertension and diabetes, you will need to continue following those diet restrictions. Taking immunosuppressants and anti-rejection medications. (1) To keep your new organ healthy, you will need to take an immunosuppressant drug.  Just like the name sounds it suppresses your body’s immune system response to your new organ.  Even with careful matching your body won’t recognize the new kidney as its own and will [...]

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