My letter to the Area Director of DaVita

[Rerun]

When I started dialysis back in 1987 (almost 30 years) we got chair liners and warm blankets that were changed out when you got cold.  Also a lunch that most of us threw up later on in the run. 

[Simon Dog]

Most foreign clinics I visit have medical beds and facility provided pillows, linens and blankets (that's in addition to a snack).  I'm always amazed at low quality of comfort of care we have here in the US versus other clinics.

DaVita tried opening "luxury clinics" available to patients willing and able to pay an extra fee (not insurance covered), but found out that people are either poor or cheap and that there was little demand for a premium priced product.

[kitkatz]

When I started dialysis we had sheets and blankets provided, then they went to paper liners on the chairs, then to bring your own sheet and blanket.  They ask in the lit you are given at Fresenius that sheets and blankets should be washed once a week with chlorine bleach and detergent.  Also wash them anytime nay blood product is spilled on them.  One week I remember washing everything all three nights I came home from dialysis.

[cattlekid]

Yeah, not to derail this thread too much but I was at a Fresenius clinic that was to put it mildly, a pit of despair.  Not a single comfort item to be seen or had.  I dragged in my own blanket and neck pillows, plus I begged the medical director and was allowed to bring in a small bottle of water and a protein bar.  I came from work and I ate lunch prior to traveling to the clinic.  By the time I would get home, it would be about 8 hours between meals.  I told him it was a choice between allowing me to have these small items or be a raging *bleep* during my treatments because of hunger/thirst. 

So when I was on my one and only vacation while I was in-center, I schelpped all this stuff on the plane and then into the non-profit center.  The patients just laughed as they settled in with as many pillows and warm blankets as they wanted with their functioning wi-fi connections, cups of ice and a staff-to-patient ratio that would blow your mind on the good side.

After that, I pretty much wanted to tell my FA to go pound sand.  I was on private insurance and the amount they were jacking my insurance company for could have paid for a blanket warmer, ice machine and a decent wi-fi setup many times over.   

I hate to put more work on clinic staff but........ having a washer and dryer and offering to wash those blankets would be a HUGE effort on their part.

Most foreign clinics I visit have medical beds and facility provided pillows, linens and blankets (that's in addition to a snack).  I'm always amazed at low quality of comfort of care we have here in the US versus other clinics.

[Charlie B53]

It is sickening to find those medical care places that are simply in it for the insurance money they can get.


While not being in favor of big government there are areas like this that need over-sight.

[KatieV]

The Area Director wrote back to me a lovely, well thought-out email addressing my concerns.  He said for security reasons we have to lock the door and although this seems harsh and unfeeling, it is not intended to be.  He would address with the teammates the concern about dirty and clean areas yadda  yadda....

I suggested that we could get a security guard that can open and close the door for us and maybe he could shovel too.
 

I would think they should be able to leave the door open while you cart things in... Maybe they got audited recently and got dinged on their open door? 

The official policy at my center is to wait for a tech to bring you back.  However, at least on the evening shift, it was okay to come onto the floor and pre-weigh, then wait by the scale.  The doors onto the floor close, but don't lock.  I would think that could be a safety hazard.

[Charlie B53]

I am still so new to In-Clinic that I do not always have the same chair.  I have a schedule, but they have asked me once again to come in 'early'. So I usually stack my Qwap by the scale, weigh in, then just stand there and wait to be told which chair I will be in that day.

Because of the coming ice storm tomorrow they have already called and asked that I come in 4 hours early.  They are also cutting treatments to only 3 hours in attempt to get everyone in, some limited treatment, then gone early enough staff may have a chance to get home before the roads become totally impassable. Again.