Pre-Dialysis Education: Healthy Start
Ochsner offers this early education and training program for pre-end stage renal disease patients and their families.
-
Basic Healthy Start educates patients with mild chronic renal impairment on how to manage the disease process and how to maintain renal function. Advanced Healthy Start is a more intensive one-on-one session of at least one hour each with the dietitian, social worker and nurse.
-
The nurse assesses learning style and special learning needs, reviews physiology of the kidneys, provides instructions on treatments, teaches patients about their medications and reviews laboratory test results.
- Ochsner’s dietitian develops and instructs patients on their individualized diet prescriptions and meal planning. Ochsner’s social worker provides an in-depth assessment of financial and psychosocial needs as well as help in determining the choice of treatment.
Patients can be referred by any treating physician by calling:
- 504-842-6076 in New Orleans
- 985-868-8187 in Houma
- 225-226-1464 in Baton Rouge
Written feedback is provided to the referring physician. Early referral for access placement is encouraged.
External Links:
National Kidney Foundation
http://www.kidney.org/
American Association of Kidney Patients
http://www.aakp.org/
American Kidney Fund
http://www.kidneyfund.org/
Baxter
http://baxter.com/
United Network for Organ Sharing
http://www.unos.org/
