Nephrology and dialysis??

[NRAI2001]

How feasible is it for a nephrologist who has his/her own private practice to run their own outpatient dialysis service?

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[jdh71]

How feasible is it for a nephrologist who has his/her own private practice to run their own outpatient dialysis service?

It's not unfeasible, per se, merely very difficult to compete with the national dialysis corporations in most markets, and probably practical for a new nephrology guy only in markets not already saturated, which for most people means living somewhere less populated.

 

[NRAI2001]

It's not unfeasible, per se, merely very difficult to compete with the national dialysis corporations in most markets, and probably practical for a new nephrology guy only in markets not already saturated, which for most people means living somewhere less populated.

But even with these large dialysis companies existing in your market, couldnt you provide dialysis service to your own patients? Even if you only have 10 or 15 or whatever number of patients requiring dialysis couldnt you have a few dialysis machines in your office and provide this a few times a week?

 

[jdh71]

But even with these large dialysis companies existing in your market, couldnt you provide dialysis service to your own patients? Even if you only have 10 or 15 or whatever number of patients requiring dialysis couldnt you have a few dialysis machines in your office and provide this a few times a week?

You could . . . but you probably wouldn't want to with all the hassle, though. It's not like you can simply buy a machine and start running people through it. Like anything it's regulated to death, mostly to favor the big corporate money interests.

 

[nephappl]

Dialysis is a highly regulated activity; is not just having the machines. You need a water treatment plant and pay for 1 or 2 technicians to run it , you need to monitor for infectoins and security issues, you need a place to do it that meets all the technical requirements satisfactory to medicare. You need a dietician, SW , a bunch of nurses , NPs and PAs to staff the patients and administrative staff.
A lot of money goes to overhead expenses and the reimbursement has been shrinking over time.
I think you make more money buying and holding gold that getting into all this headache. If I was rich the last thing I would do with my money would be to open a dialysis unit !!!

 

[NRAI2001]

Dialysis is a highly regulated activity; is not just having the machines. You need a water treatment plant and pay for 1 or 2 technicians to run it , you need to monitor for infectoins and security issues, you need a place to do it that meets all the technical requirements satisfactory to medicare. You need a dietician, SW , a bunch of nurses , NPs and PAs to staff the patients and administrative staff.
A lot of money goes to overhead expenses and the reimbursement has been shrinking over time.
I think you make more money buying and holding gold that getting into all this headache. If I was rich the last thing I would do with my money would be to open a dialysis unit !!!

What are the legal requirements ? Social workers and dietitians.. Would you really be required to have them present at all times? Dialysis nurses would obviously be required.. But NPs and PAs required? And if so probably just a very limited number required.. Like 1 or 2?

 

[gutonc]

What are the legal requirements ? Social workers and dietitians.. Would you really be required to have them present at all times? Dialysis nurses would obviously be required.. But NPs and PAs required? And if so probably just a very limited number required.. Like 1 or 2?

Well...here is a 70 page long FAQ (not the actual rules, just the bullet points) from CMS for what is required to set up and run a dialysis center.

The manual for surveyors (the ones who determine whether a facility can function) is 302 pages.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that it's more complex and far less lucrative than you think it is.