boo Fresinius Boo

[roskidney]

I have been at a Fresinius center for a long time now and all I can say is Boo fresinius Boo, actually they suck. The only thing they are concerned with is money, period. They treat patients more like product then human beings. A patient dies and all there concerned with is how will it effect their seating schedule, but if they lose a dialyser because a patient didn't show up then there all pissed off and they rant about that patient for the rest of the night. Could anybody tell me about their experience at a nonprofit center. Another thing, why are we called patients? I mean we are not in a hospital (a lot of us that is) and as my social worker LOVES to tell all new people coming in "we are a for profit company, we are here to make money" So if that is the case shouldn't we be called customers?

Thanks for listening,
Roskid

[boswife]

what an awful feeling!!  We were lucky to have a much better time at our center (rai) and i really feel for those who have it more like your experience.  We did come home with NxStage which now hubby only has me to fuss about,,lol   I wish you well, and do look around for a more people friendly center.  I do believe there out there..   

[cattlekid]

I completely agree on the "customer" concept. Without us as customers, the dialysis centers would not exist. 

When I was in-center, if I started to get static from the staff, I gently reminded them that my insurance company is writing $2300 checks to them on a weekly basis and that I would be more than happy to find a new clinic if necessary.  I found that I only had to do that once or twice.   

When I was getting ready to switch over to a different clinic for NxStage training, it really hit home because my Fresenius clinic staff was freaking out and bending over backwards trying to get me to stay with their NxStage clinic, which would have been a good hour out of my way.  The DaVita clinic is on my way home from work - why wouldn't I switch?  I never got to see my own neph anyhow when I was with FMC unless I made a separate appointment to meet with him.  From what I understand though, the clinic manager and social worker probably got dinged because they "let" me walk to a rival clinic.   

[lmunchkin]

The very reason We wanted to D. at home is because of the "Rules" in-centers have!  I pray we never have to do that again!

lmunchkin
 

[willowtreewren]

We were with DCI, a non-profit clinic. And I tell you, they were great.

In fact, we still swing by there to visit.

Aleta

[amanda100wilson]

No experience with FMC but I haf the same impression  of DaVita although I was on PD at the time.  I switched to Renal Care Partnersand have been much more impressed.  Mt PDnurse came to my home to draw labs so I only had one clinic visit a month to see the doctor.  She was excellent, so professional.  Now I' m training for NxStage and all my training hasbeen done at home.  Again very impressed by the professionalism of my nurse.

[cassandra]

I'm at a F clinic now, but used to be at the NHS clinic, and 30 years ago at a 'nonprofit' clinic in the Netherland for years. I'm sorry to say that my F clinic is just as bad as the so called NP ones. They don't do it for nothing you know. Its down to the staff them selfs I think

[Grumpy-1]

roskidney -   Don't know which Fresinius center you go to, but for me, the one I go to in Fredericksburg VA is GREAT!  I have three PD nurses that treat me like a saint.  I'm a hard stick, so the four of us have a running contest to see which nurse will get: (1) blood on the first stick (2) enough blood per stick.  I enjoy going down to the clinic either for the labs or to meet with the Dr.  (not for the Dr but the nurses)  We laugh, joke and have a good time.  I know it helps me cope and I think it takes some of the stress off them as well since some of their paitents are not as laid back about it as I am.  My biggest cripe is the Dr visit.  My Doctors are good and are willing to take the time to answer questions and such, but for a 15 minute visit, they send the insurance company and HUGE bill.   I'm thinking I should have been a Doctor....     

[ESRD Survivor]

When I was on PD, my Fersenius nurses were great!  It's the hemo side that kind of sucks, never on time, always a water problem or sodium bicarb is always an issue.  If I could only do PD again.

[lmunchkin]

We have had no problems with our Fresceinus Clinic either.  But we do NxStage at home and not in their clinics.  Love this NxStage!
Im sure there is good and bad in all of them.

lmunchkin

 

[sullidog]

I've been with FMC for a few months now and had no problem so far. However I did miss a treatment do to no way to get access and the quality dept called me wanted to know if I wanted to reschedule my missed treatments, I said no and they were fine with that.

[fearless]

I suspect there are a few key people who set the tone for a clinic.  If it's a reasonable and compassionate person, then you're lucky.  If not, then you're not so lucky.  Try to find something better if you can.   

[Donnie]

I go to the center in Mansfield, Ohio.  The staff seems friendly enough, however it is quite evident that  the
place is more geared to corporate profitability than customer health care.  I don't trust the doctor and many of the decisions made there.

I've been going there for just over a year.  The last three months I've had perfect lab reports and very rarely
need any water removed.  While many customers need extra time on the machine because of water gain,  I
lost .6 kilos over the last weekend. I feel great after dialysis and I've told the 23 year old naive dietitian that I eat what I want and drink what I want whenever I want.    I seem to urinate in accordance with what I drink.

And by the way, I'm not diabetic and have no other health issues.

I've asked if I can reduce down to 2 times a week but that's out of the question I've been told.  My reasoning is that my numbers are good for their center average?  I believe it's more about the insurance money than my health!

Then there is the policy  of "pod" assignment.  I get a different tech every time I go and my button hole sites keep getting messed up as a result.   Again it's more about the money than my well being!  This actually disgusts a couple of the better techs, but they don't say much due to fear of being fired.

I've looked into going to a different center, but guess what?   There seems to be no competition for this company here in Ohio.   I wonder why?     And yes, this company has just paid an  82 million dollar fine for medicare fraud!  Go figure?

I don't trust the doctor or the staff.   Can anyone blame me?   Boo!    Boo!  And that's an understatement!

[lmunchkin]

Donnie, is there anyway you can do D. at home?  That way you are in control of your own health.

lmunchkin
 

[Donnie]

I know that is a legit question, but doesn't home dialysis require even more time on the machine?

That's my problem.   I hate the amount of time required! I feel dialysis has ruined my so-called life.  If it were not for the wishes of my wife and children, I'd just pull the plug and call it quits.  I've had a good and productive life.  Death does not scare me at all!   

[amanda100wilson]

I'm doing 2.5 hours on NxStage machine five days a week.  Yes, it is more, but you can do it to suit you, and it improves your health and quality of life.  In unit dialysis gives so many side effects that can be avoided with home HD.

[Desert Dancer]

I know that is a legit question, but doesn't home dialysis require even more time on the machine?

That's my problem.   I hate the amount of time required! I feel dialysis has ruined my so-called life.  If it were not for the wishes of my wife and children, I'd just pull the plug and call it quits.  I've had a good and productive life.  Death does not scare me at all!   

Donnie, look into nocturnal dialysis. You do it while you're sleeping anyway and your daytime life is your own (mostly). Bonus: you can cannulate your own buttonholes and don't have to worry about techs screwing them up.

[lmunchkin]

I dialysize J 3 days for a little over 3 hrs.  Then he is off 2 days, and then D him 3 days again.  3 On & 2 off is how his Neph has it for him.  Its worked so far for us.  But the thing is, you are under your own roof, doing it your way and enjoying each other and whoever else comes to visit in your own home. 

But it does take commitment on your part, but is so worth it in the long run, IMHO.  Ultimately, it is your decision!  I believe you should have a choice.  I believe if I were the one to come down with this disease (complete failure) I would choose to be with Jesus!  But that's just me and I will point out, I am not faced with it either.  So that does make a difference. It's one of those "when the rubber meets the road" type things! Nobody wants to die, but in the end, we all will.

lmunchkin
 

[consumerx]

Just transfered to a Fresenius in NY state, compared to what i had in NJ..Fresenius is terrible. The dialysis nurse seems like she doesnt know what she is doing, the social worker was completely ignorant of my records despite they had everything on me. The waiting room was messy and had cameras all around the room, it even had a security guard. inside the room where they do dialysis on the chairs there was blood all over the floor one day and no one cleaned it. I felt very unsafe being around my primary nurse, i felt like i knew more then her. Not ony this but there was kids (im assuming training) doing alot of the nurses responsibilities.

[lmunchkin]

Lord, somebody should report them.  That is just not sanitary!  Glad you transfered to another clinic, consumerx!

lmunchkin
 

[Grumpy-1]

consumerx   - definitely report them !!!!
Donnie -  I'm on PD so I'm not sure my schedule will work for you.  I have to do six exchanges a day (24 hour period)  I do 2 manual exchanges (one at 7am and one at noon) then I have a cycler machine that I do the other 4 on.  During the work week days, I hook to the cycler at 5pm - have a 1 1/2 pause period and then back on the machine for the rest of the night. (exchange at 7:30 - 8:30 - 2 hour dwell - exchange at 10:30 - 11:30 - 2 hour dwell - exchange at 1:30 - 2:30)  Then the alarm goes off at 3am and I'm up getting ready for work.  Weekends are a bit more liberal with the times as I can sleep in later.  While it does seem I've lost quite a bit of "my life" to being hooked up, it still allows me more freedom to control my fluids and such than sitting in the clinic for 4 hours 3 evening a week. 

Grumpy     

[Stacy Without An E]

It is my experience doing Dialysis at three different locations on and off over the last 30 years that non-profit clinics seem to be more patient oriented than some of the "Wal-Mart" type operations.  I've been at Satellite Dialysis for the last 8 years.  From what I understand, they mostly have operations on the west coast.  After reading so many of these horror stories on IHD for years, I'm pretty lucky I'm in the clinic I am.  Except for a few lazy employees, the staff is competent and knowledgeable.  I would do everything in your power to get out of a poor clinic.  You're risking your life with every minute you're there.

[adairpete]

I was doing hemo at a Fresenius clinic for 5 months (now doing PD) and my biggest complaint was the tech/nurse to patient ratio and I wasn't even there during "peak" hours.  Plus, in my opinion, it was a gamble on how good the techs were.  Some of them were very nice and experienced and treated people individually, but a lot of them were not like this.  I found out the techs only got a 6-week training course by Fresenius before being let loose on the floor.  There were only ever 2 nurses (3 during "peak" hours) for 36 chairs.  In the beginning I felt like a spaghetti noodle they threw at the wall to see what stuck regarding how much fluid they were trying to pull off and how fast.  Almost every single time some stupid tech came over and tried to fiddle with how much fluid was being pulled off, which would cause my blood pressure to crash.  I learned quickly to not be afraid to speak up as I knew better what worked and what didn't.  I really think there needs to be a training course (taught by renal professionals, not a dialysis company) for the techs, which includes bedside/chairside manners!

[gothiclovemonkey]

FMC is way better than Davita, especially in this aspect!!! I switched to FMC from Davita and I will never ever go to a Davita again if I can control it!!

[smokinbeaver]

This all scares me since here in Vicksburg, MS, there are only 2 dialysis centers and both are Fresenius centers. There is only one Nephrologist here as well to take care of everyone. He recommended the center right across the Mississisippi River in Louisiana. We have already visited it. We liked to the manager who talked to us and gave us information the nephrologist hasn't given us. Its like he is only telling my husband a little bit of info at a time. It also seems like the whole demeanor of this dr has changed. He isn't as friendly, does not smile or joke around at all like he used to. He told my husband he will not be coming to his office anymore, he will only see him at the dialysis center. Do these doctors feel irritated when a patient goes on dialysis? We don't feel its the drs fault this is happening. I think kidney disease is progressive just like diabetes. You do what you can, and take good care of yourself (which my husband has done since he was first diagnosed with diabetes 2 back in his early 30's) but it does get worse eventually no matter what you do. We don't know what to expect at the dialysis center, but since he has only 2 to choose from,  and the dr suggested the one across the river is better, he is trying that one first. That one has less people coming to it and its quieter. The manager said that the folks at the other one in town is more cramped and theres a younger crowd. She said older people complain that folks yell back and forth to each other and the machines are noisier. My husband hasn't been told anything about home dialysis yet. Main thing right now is getting the chest catheter in and getting him 2 pts of blood (just got 2 two weeks ago), and getting dialysis started. They don't seem to think he can wait till the new fistula heals. Glad there is this site to complain too, because no one but you guys would understand. Thanks ya'll.

Sharon