Redesigning a dialysis unit – a contemporary approach

Abstract

patient experience? To plan something different we need to understand our local reality, preceding a situational diagnosis, watching our local environment, the most prevalent diseases and the existing gaps. Otherwise, we cannot go anywhere. The Dialysis facility design is an important aspect of the long-term functional success of any unit so it is important that designing should be done with care. 4 Recently, we had the opportunity to be part of a team in charge of planning and build a new intra hospital dialysis unit in South Brazil, so that was the opportunity to redesign a dialysis unit. The current service now has 1053m², 38 chairs (17 private), an Isolation box for Hepatitis B and C, contact isolation, air isolation and unknown serologies, 2 multi-professional offices, one procedure room, peritoneal dialysis room, a local pharmacy (satellite), 2 administrative rooms and water treatment (double pace reverse osmose). Patients treated at this service have a predominance of males, with a mean age of 68 years (76.6% over 61 years). The most prevalent pathologies are hypertension (83.7%) and diabetes (53.5%).