Hospital

Are you afraid of needles?

Peritoneal Dialysis (PD)

PD does not require needles for the delivery of dialysis.

Home Hemodialysis (HHD)

You or your spouse/caregiver will have to insert the needles. It involves insertion of 2 needles for each treatment. Some patients may have a permanent catheter (neck) and would not use needles.

Conventional In-centre Hemodialysis (ICHD)

The clinic’s staff put the needles in to connect you to dialysis machine. It involves insertion of 2 needles for each treatment. In some clinics, you can choose to be trained to insert needle by yourself. Some patients may have a permanent catheter (neck) and would not use needles.

How far and how often do you have to commute for each treatment?

Peritoneal Dialysis (PD)

Home dialysis do not require travel to the clinic for treatment. You only need to travel to clinic when you have clinic appointment with your nurse/nephrologist

Home Hemodialysis (HHD)

Home dialysis do not require travel to the clinic for treatment. You only need to travel to clinic when you have clinic appointment with your nurse/nephrologist.

Conventional In-centre Hemodialysis (ICHD)

Travel to the clinic for dialysis treatments 3 times a week. Depends on how far you live from the clinic, it may take you 1-2 hours to travel to the clinic. You need to cover your cost of transportation.

How much training do you need for dialysis?

Peritoneal Dialysis (PD)

A nurse will train you on the steps of the treatment for about 1 week. You won’t go home for dialysis until you and your training nurse are confident that you or your family can perform the treatment successfully.

Home Hemodialysis (HHD)

A nurse will train you on the steps of the treatment for 4-6 weeks. You won’t go home for dialysis until you and your training nurse are confident that that you or your family can perform the treatment successfully. In some clinic, medical staff may let you perform some steps of treatment by yourself in-centre until you feel comfortable to do dialysis at home.

Conventional In-centre Hemodialysis (ICHD)

No training time needed since nurse will connect you to the machine. In some clinics, nurses would train you to set up and connect to the machine so that you can perform treatments yourself at the clinic.