National Tourism Day
By Dr Suresh Sankar, Senior Vice President for Clinical Affairs, NephroPlus
Undoubtedly travel has been widely regarded as a physically healthy and mental pursuit. Many research studies claim it improves the quality of life of people with medical conditions and disabilities. However, travel for a Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patient should be weighed carefully, given its health impact. Although, there is no evidence to prove the added risks of increased severity and mechanisms of the disease in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients. It still needs to cancel the possibility of them being at a high vulnerability of breakout on long tours and travel plans.
Be it a trip for holidays, vacations, family reunions, exploring, or business purposes, travelling long-distance or for long hours should be a fun-filled experience for dialysis patients. However, since dialysis is a continual procedure of treatment to be carried out within a restricted base with meticulous techniques conducted by skilled technicians, a minute break in the procedure intervals can be fatal owing to an increased risk of cardiac attack and breathing difficulty.
Moreover, the frequency of procedures for dialysis patients may vary depending on the severity of the kidney dysfunctions and the type of dialysis treatment taken; for example, patients with hemodialysis require a session thrice a week, and patients with peritoneal dialysis require a daily session.
Nowadays, innovations in healthcare have made dialysis available for people on travel. Although dialysis patients have long been reluctant to travel or set on an extended holiday away from home considering safety and quality concerns, with access to Holiday Dialysis, there is a benefit to seeking in-centre treatment, whether it is a family function or a business trip. Holiday Dialysis is carried out with more emphasis on the safety and comfort of dialysis patients. Like base dialysis, Holiday Dialysis ensures top-quality service with well-trained and highly qualified technicians. Considering the convenience and accessibility, exploring this with your regular dialysis unit is essential before considering other options.
Apart from Holiday Dialysis, patients must prepare a full-fledged plan to travel safely and comfortably. Hence, here are some helpful tips that an individual on dialysis can also consider:
1. Consult your nephrologist:
It is most advisable to consult your nephrologist and seek a certificate that claims your fitness for travel. Since kidney and dialysis patients require more planning for a trip, your nephrologist and the dialysis unit can support you with essential guidelines and recommend help in emergency care. Therefore, even after you have received the letter of immunization check from your nephrologist, you should seek their advice before traveling.
2. Evaluate medical support available at the destination:
Emergencies are unpredictable, especially medical ones. Also, they have a tremendous potential to be fatal. Hence it is more sensible to choose destinations with accessible medical support within a reasonable reach. In addition, dialysis patients should be in tight contact with their regular dialysis units and units local to their travel destination.
3. Choose suitable accommodation:
Dialysis patients follow strict diet protocols; therefore, choosing a compromise that will cater to their unique requirements is imperative. In addition, one with kidney stones should be aware of the temperature impact on their conditions to avoid overexposure that will lead to increased disease severity.
4. Health insurance:
It is recommended to have active health insurance with international coverage areas. In addition, Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and dialysis patients have a special entitlement to apply for flexible health insurance to cover emergency medical expenses. Patients can use such plans during a long trip’s unprecedented need for medical attention and support.
