LOCATING RESOURCES 1
Locating Resources for Chronickidney disease
University affiliation
Locating Resources for Chronickidney disease
The kidneys work to remove excess water and wastes from the body. Thefailure of functioning by the kidney leads to the condition ofchronic kidney disease (CDK). The affected, therefore, requiremedical care as soon as the symptoms start showing. To lengthen thequality of life, locating of the resources that provide the bestmedical care for CDK must be availed. Some of the resources thatprovide CDK treatment and care include TheCleveland Clinic Center for chronic kidney disease, the UPMC KidneyClinics, and the MountSinai Hospital.
TheCleveland Clinic Center for chronic kidney disease
The clinic has specialists innephrology who work in collaboration with physicians in themanagement, evaluation, and treatment of patients with CKD. Aninnovative crew analyses the disease’s life cycle and empowerspatients through tailored treatment and education. They focus theirtreatment on reducing the speed of development of CKD, detectingrisks for cardiovascular attacks, and lowering the exposure tocomplications from surgery. The center has a comprehensive patienteducation strategy on CKD, which helps individuals in understandingthe risks, and how to manage renal diseases ("Kidney Disease |Cleveland Clinic," 2016). A devoted CKD educationalistleads the charge and patients are reinforced with informationregarding blood pressure, nutrition, and cholesterol leading tosuccess stories.
The center utilizes technological advancements and medical recordsgenerated electronically to engage proactively in patient care.Cleveland Clinic has developed a robust register of patients withmore than 93,000 patients to help monitor the population’s progresspertaining the disease’s life cycle. It includes the criticalparameters, demographics, and outcome measurements. A computer-basedCare-path for CKD is under development to help in the management anddiagnosis. Late discovery of CKD makes the kidney to lose more than70% of its function, therefore, to curb this, the clinic activelytries to detect the disease early. Cleveland Clinic has the GlickmanUrological and Kidney Institute, which conducts teaching, patientcare, and research ("KidneyDisease | Cleveland Clinic", 2016). Their scientists andphysicians are globally renowned hence ranked second best in thenation.
The nephrology and urology teammake innovative treatments for rare and common conditions. Thetreatment depends on the stage of CKD whereby the first three stagesentail making lifestyle changes and taking drugs to lower cholesterollevels and control blood pressure. This prevents more damage to thekidneys. Stages four and five require both medications to control CDKsymptoms and lifestyle changes. In the case of kidney failure,treatment with dialysis or kidney transplant is conducted.
Before the appointment, one needsto conduct their insurance company and make sure they understandtheir benefits and the plan requirements. One should ensure Clevelandis contracted to provide the service. If not on the health plan, theinsurance evaluation board can be conducted, one can seek financialassistance in other organizations, or discuss a favorable paymentplan with the hospital ("Kidney Disease | Cleveland Clinic,"2016). In this case, a financial counselor will have a session withthe patient, and discuss the estimated cost of the services, demand adeposit of half of the proposed costs, and discuss if they areentitled to Cleveland Clinic or government financial aid programs.
It is advantageous to seek CKDtreatment at Cleveland Clinic because their urologists have highsurgical expertise with high nursing and medical care. Due to manyyears of research and experience, the transplants are successful withfew complications. However, it is disadvantageous due to a shortageof organ donations making patients waitlisted for long before gettingthe suitable deceased donor. This is due to tissue and blood typedifferences in the donor and patient.
UPMCKidney Clinics 
It has professionals with superior training and experience in caringfor patients with CKD. It has devoted renal nurses, nephrologists,dietitians, and nurse-educators. They work in collaboration withphysicians in other departments like cardiology, endocrinology,transplantation surgery, and rheumatology. The clinics work by theguidelines from National Kidney Foundation to offer services likeidentifying renal disease and its causes, assessing the functioningof the kidneys, monitoring the factors that lead to CKD includingdiabetes and hypertension, and treating severe hypertension("Contact the UPMC Kidney Clinics," 2016).Additionally, they manage anemia, parathyroid, bone disease, andmetabolic complications caused by CKD. They are involved in theplanning of early dialysis, referrals, and initiation of transplantsat the last stage of the renal disease.
Other services offered include nutrition and education concerningkidney disease. Patients in need of renal replacement undergoevaluation. There are management and supervision of hemodialysis, andtraining and support for peritoneal dialysis. Candidates for a kidneytransplant are assessed, and management of pre-transplantation isdone. Follow-ups are also conducted to lower failure rates("Contact the UPMC Kidney Clinics", 2016). Membersof the Division of Renal-Electrolyte in Pittsburgh University have avibrant research program, which studies the kidney structure and thetransformations during the disease development.
UPMC Kidney Clinics hasa financial services center that helps a patient’s financial needsregarding applying for governmental assistance, setting up a paymentplan, applying for health insurance, and payment of medical servicesif one is not insured or is underinsured. Incurred costs are based onthe services received by a patient. The costs are bundled into oneprice that includes charges for all stages treated("Contact the UPMC Kidney Clinics", 2016).Billing and Recordkeeping are minimized especially if the treatmenttook long hence makes the management work easier.
Itis advantageous for patients to seek UPMC services because theirdoctors have a wide range of knowledge concerning anti-rejectiontherapies. It hence allows patients to go back to their normal livesfollowing the transplant with lesser restrictions. The specialistsalso have expertise in other treatment alternatives whenevertransplantation is not possible. It is also advantageous due to theclinic’s wide locations in areas including Monroeville,Mt. Lebanon, Murrysville, Passavant, Shadyside, and at UniversityCenter, hence easier accessibility("Contact the UPMC Kidney Clinics", 2016).It is disadvantageous because UPMCalso faces the problem of unavailability of the compatible kidney totransplant to a patient hence delays in the entire process.
MountSinai Hospital
It is among the largest kidney research and treatment centersglobally by offering outstanding care for adults in all CKD stages.It has specialists including social workers, dietitians, and highlyskilled physicians ("MountSinai Hospital – New York City – The Mount Sinai Hospital",2016). It ensures continuity in patient care as the patientsare attended to by the same doctor in the entire process. They dealwith referrals and first-time patients. The services offered includeevaluation of all kidney issues and in the case of early CKDsymptoms, prevention, and delay measures are employed. They work withpatients to control CKD exposure factors like high blood pressure,diabetes and maximize the function of kidneys. Advanced renal imagingand biopsy are done for diagnostic reasons.
It is among New York’s best transplant centers, and recommendationsfor transplant are done at Mount Sinai’s Miller TransplantationInstitute. Special services are given to the elderly depending ontheir functional and memory impairments, frailty levels, and familyand psychological issues. Due to the lengthened lives of HIV people,their CKD care is provided at the Jack Martin Fund HIV Clinic. Thenephrology division is a large research center and receives fundingfrom National Institutes of Health Research("Mount Sinai Hospital – New York City – The Mount SinaiHospital", 2016). The researchers are unfolding howproteinuria changes, and strive to develop a new treatment for CKD.This is because proteinuria is a major component in the developmentof kidney disease.
Upon establishing a treatment plan, the medical care sends a costestimate letter that subdivides the charges. Their system acceptschecks from US certified banks, cash, wire transfers, and creditcards. Instructions are given, and a patient is allowed tochoose a payment mode that suits them. The financial service teaminterprets the insurance covers available, and verifies if one iseligible for insurance, contact the insurance companies, and arrangefor payments to be made.
It is advantageous to have your treatments done at Mount Sinaibecause in the case of an emergency their staffs are usually wellprepared, and works twenty-four hours daily. This is done through theMount Sinai Monarchs Family Associates("Mount Sinai Hospital – New York City – The Mount SinaiHospital", 2016). It is disadvantageous because of themany accounts opened each time a service is provided to a patient,hence the bills given to a patient can be many and become cumbersometo understand. Additionally, the physician services are billedseparately.
Inconclusion, it is important to avail information concerning CKD carecenters to ensure the patients get timely treatment and education onlifestyle changes that will improve their situation. The hospitalwebsites, advertisement in the media, pinning on the notice boards onthe treatment information, and asking for referrals in otherhospitals should be availed to ensure the CKD is put under control.
References
Contact the UPMC Kidney Clinics. (2016). Upmc.com.Retrieved 29 May 2016, fromhttp://www.upmc.com/Services/kidney-disease/Pages/contact.aspx
Kidney Disease | Cleveland Clinic.(2016). My.clevelandclinic.org. Retrieved 29 May 2016,fromhttp://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/urology-kidney/diseases-conditions/kidney-disease
Mount Sinai Hospital – New York City – The Mount Sinai Hospital.(2016). The Mount Sinai Hospital. Retrieved 29 May 2016,from http://www.mountsinai.org/