In most cases, the patient will be treated in the home dialysis unit two to three times per week until the patient and helper have learned all the details of the procedure and feel confident performing the procedure at home. Patients will generally be treated as outpatients during this time. Aside from the cost-saving benefits, the main advantage of home hemodialysis is the independence the patient develops. Instead of traveling to a dialysis unit two or three times a week, patients dialyze at home. Some home hemodialysis patients dialyze at night, an option that may not be available in all dialysis units.
Continued employment is, therefore, common among home dialysis patients.
The demands of home hemodialysis care tend to make these home patients more knowledgeable about their disease and the treatment required. Some believe this increased knowledge makes home hemodialysis patients more responsive to the suggestions of doctors and nurses about their care. In some of the rural areas of the country, home hemodialysis may eliminate many hours of travel to and from dialysis units. This improves the patient s chances to continue to work. Not all patients are suited psychologically to home hemodialysis.