About Dialysis
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys can no longer do the job. It gets rid of your body's wastes, such as extra salt and water, and helps control your blood pressure. More than 11,000 people in Ontario are receiving dialysis as a renal replacement therapy.here are 2 main types of dialysis:
- Hemodialysis – Blood is filtered through a machine to remove waste and toxins. The cleaned blood is then returned into the bloodstream.
- Peritoneal dialysis – The inside lining of your belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by a cleansing fluid called dialysate.
Where to Get Dialysis
Hospital-based hemodialysis – Dialysis done in a hospital.
Community-based hemodialysis – Dialysis done outside the hospital, such as in a clinic, office building or shopping plaza.
Home dialysis – Dialysis done at your home. To learn more, including the types of home dialysis and benefits, go to About Home Dialysis.
Long-term care homes – Selected long-term care homes across the province offer dialysis services for their residents.
Resources for Travelling While on Dialysis
For patients on dialysis, there are a number of important questions and considerations to think about before travelling. Refer to this step-by-step travel guidance, which includes an infographic, checklist and information about travelling within and outside of Canada.
Refer a Patient on Dialysis to a Different Regional Renal Program (RRP)
The Visit Request Form for Patient on Dialysis should be completed by the referring dialysis program and sent to the requested dialysis program once the latter has confirmed potential capacity.
Additional forms have been provided to RRPs to support communication between referring and requested programs. These forms include RRP-specific information.
Regional Renal Program (RRP) Key Contacts
Patients and health care providers may refer to the most recent list of key contacts at each RRP who support the intake of patients seeking dialysis during travel. This file is updated annually.