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Easy traveling on dialysis

Whether you’re heading out of town to visit loved ones, attend a business meeting or simply want to see America, the following “Travel tips for dialysis patients” and “Travel checklist” will help you in planning your trip and dialysis in a visiting city. Each day people on dialysis travel to new and exciting places and still get the lifesaving treatment they need. Just because you’re on dialysis doesn’t mean you have to stay home. With a little advanced planning you can enjoy all the benefits of traveling to all the places you want to go. 

Travel tips for dialysis patients

In-center hemodialysis patients

Planning is especially important when visiting a popular travel destination. Contact a DaVita dialysis center in the city you are visiting at least 2 weeks in advance of your visit to schedule your treatments. While it is possible to get into a dialysis center with shorter notice, you may have to drive a longer distance or take an inconvenient shift. You can also talk to your social worker or nurse, who will help you arrange for dialysis treatments when you travel. Click here to find a dialysis center online or call 1-800-244-0680 and talk to a DaVita Guest Services Specialist.

Home hemodialysis patients

Home hemodialysis patients usually dialyze in-center while on vacation since it is nearly impossible to bring along a dialysis machine. Talk with your doctor and social worker, or call DaVita at 1-800-244-0680 for help in finding a dialysis center in the city you are visiting.

Peritoneal dialysis patients

If you are a peritoneal dialysis (PD) patient, you have much greater freedom to travel because you are not limited to a dialysis center schedule. Just discuss your travel plans with your PD nurse and social worker.

Make sure you coordinate the shipment of your supplies to your hotel or vacation home. Your supply vendor representative can deliver most of the supplies you need right to your destination. You may also want to ask your home center to help you locate a PD center in the city you are visiting in case you run out of supplies or need emergency medical care while away from home.

Traveling with a wheelchair

Be sure to notify your airline that you are traveling with a manual wheelchair, an electric wheelchair or a scooter, and request "maximum assistance" at the airport.

When you arrive at the airline ticket counter, ask the attendant to "gate check" your wheelchair and obtain a luggage claim receipt for it. This will allow you to roll your wheelchair directly to the plane where you can either walk to your seat or transfer into an "aisle chair" for assistance to your seat.

You should also notify the hotel that you are traveling with a wheelchair and request a handicapped-accessible or first-floor room.

Special Diet

When making your airline reservation, be sure to ask if the airline has special meals, such as diabetic, vegetarian, low salt, low fat, etc. It is advisable to bring your own diet-appropriate food and snacks for travel delays and long trips, especially since many airlines do not provide meals and airport shops and restaurants may not have healthy food options.

Travel Checklist

You’re almost there. Just follow these guidelines and you’ll be on your way to an exciting vacation you will remember for years to come.

  1. Talk to your doctor, nurse and social worker to let them know about your plans. They will be able to give you important information for your trip. Write down any questions or concerns you may have prior to your conversation.
  2. Call your insurance carrier to find out what expenses are covered. Some private insurance groups don't allow travel or won't pay for travel outside their coverage area. Be sure to get this information before you leave on your trip. Insurance consultations are available at no charge from DaVita insurance specialists. You can request an insurance consultation online or call DaVita Guest Services at 1-800-244-0680.
  3. Locate a dialysis center close to your hotel or vacation home at least 2 weeks in advance of your visit. Call DaVita Guest Services at 1-800-244-0680.
  4. IMPORTANT NOTE:  Whether you dialyze in-center, at home or with peritoneal dialysis, you should locate a dialysis center in the city you are visiting. It is very important to know where to go in case you need help or forget something. Carry the name, address and phone number of the DaVita dialysis center in the city you are visiting with you during your trip.
  5. Pack your medical information in your carry-on luggage and bring it with you to dialysis, if your records have not already been sent to your visiting center. You, your nurse or social worker may fax your dialysis records to the visiting DaVita center ahead of time. Most dialysis centers will need information about your health, including your medical records and recent lab reports, an EKG and chest x-ray, your dialysis prescription, recent treatment records, dialysis access type, insurance information, a list of the medications you take plus your local phone number and contact information in the city you are visiting.
  6. Bring along extra medication in case you get delayed while traveling.
This site is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice from a physician. Please check with a physician if you need a diagnosis and/or for treatments as well as information regarding your specific condition. If you are experiencing urgent medical conditions, call 9-1-1.