Fresenius Medical Care's Patient Travel Service to provide free dialysis scheduling assistance to travelling patients

Aug 24 2009

As thousands of people plan getaways for the fall and winter travel seasons, easy access to healthcare is a concern for many travelers with chronic health conditions who require life-sustaining treatments. Twenty-six million Americans suffer from chronic kidney disease, and more than 355,000 of them require dialysis every few days to stay alive.

Fresenius Medical Care North America, operator of the nation’s leading network of dialysis facilities, today announced that its Patient Travel Service is ready to provide free assistance in locating and scheduling dialysis treatment for all patients traveling in the United States and abroad. Fresenius Medical Care’s Patient Travel Service is a specialized group that handles treatment reservations for dialysis patients who travel, and its services are available to all patients, whether their home dialysis facility is part of the Fresenius Medical Care network or not.

Patients, clinical staff or social workers can call the Patient Travel Service at 1-866-4DIALYSIS (1-866-434-2597, Option 2) to get help finding a convenient facility at their requested travel destination, or to get answers to general questions about traveling while on dialysis. This information service is free, and for the best results patients are encouraged to plan early.

"Fresenius Medical Care is dedicated to helping our patients live life to the fullest, and part of that means having the freedom to travel without worrying about where and how to get dialysis,” said Patrick Henry, senior manager of the Fresenius Medical Care Patient Travel Service. “Our Patient Travel Service puts patients at ease and makes treatment while away from home as seamless as possible."

Here’s how scheduling dialysis away from home works, in three easy steps:

Step 1: By calling the Fresenius Medical Care Patient Travel Service at 1-866-4DIALYSIS (1-866-434-2597, Option 2), a patient, the patient’s social worker, or a clinical staff member can request dialysis treatment in a specific location in the U.S. or abroad.

Step 2: Once a clinic is located, the Patient Travel Service works directly with the destination’s admissions office or with a partner organization to accommodate the traveling patient’s request.

Step 3: The destination’s admissions office works directly with the patient’s home clinic to confirm travel information, treatment prescription, obtain all necessary medical documents and to secure placement.

All Fresenius Medical Care facilities share the company’s UltraCare^® mission of delivering excellent care to patients through innovative programs, the latest technology, continuous quality improvement and a focus on superior customer service.