Q: My mother has kidney failure and has been advised to start haemodialysis soon. What are the details that I must verify at a dialysis centre before I choose it for haemodialysis?

A:An ideal dialysis centre is one that provides a caring and a safe environment for the patient while offering a comprehensive supportive treatment of kidney failure. The centre should not only offer adequate haemodialysis treatment on a regular maintenance basis but also help in managing complications arising out of kidney failure, namely anaemia and malnutrition, have adequate infection control measures and offer close monitoring and management of haemodialysis access related problems. All this is possible by a coordinated team of well trained professional nursing staff under a close supervision of a nephrologist. As far as selecting the best dialysis unit is concerned, I would advise you to follow the recommendation of your mother’s nephrologist.