NN&I - April 2010
Patient Travel 46 Nephrology News & Issues April 2010www.nephronline.comGracie Castro and her husband live in Bonita, Calif., a scenic community near San Diego that takes its name from the beautiful natural surround -ings. As much as she enjoys the lifestyle in Bonita, Castro has always enjoyed taking trips and traveling to new places with her husband. But when she was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease 13 years ago, she feared that her travel-ing days might be over. Fortunately, dialysis patients who California dialysis patient encourages others to put travel on their 'to-do' listwhen I first talked to another patient about her experience traveling," Castro said. "You're always worried about not getting the same treatment and care like you do at your own hometown clinic, but my experience in other clin-ics around the U.S. has always been very good." Castro and other FMCNA patients use the provider's travel service to help patients arrange for dialysis care while they are traveling. Before patients Council and the Fresenius Medical Care Patient Advisory Board. She also volunteers at her church and helps seniors by visiting and calling them. When she's not involved in one of those activities she enjoys sketching pictures and photography. "Travel can offer amazing experi -ences, especially for dialysis patients," Castro says. "You are able to get out of your routine and come back refreshed and re-energized with a clear mind." Fresenius Medical Care North Amer-ica's (FMCNA) Patient Travel Service is a specialized group that handles patient travel requests. Leisla Lugo is a Patient Travel Service employee who has end-stage renal disease, so she has a personal understanding of the concerns that patients have when arranging for dialysis away from their home clinic. Lugo is originally from Puerto Rico, where both she and her brother were diagnosed with ESRD. Lugo started her dialysis treatments when she was 14, and since then she has had two kidney transplants, the last one in 1995. "I encourage patients thinking about traveling to try it," Lugo said. "Many patients want to get back to a normal way of life and traveling is a part of that. I have some patients that travel as often as once a month and they love it." To reach the Fresenius Medical Care Patient Travel Service toll-free from anywhere in the U.S. or Canada, dial 866.434.2597 (select option 2) between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. CST. Last year, FMCNA Patient Travel Service coordinated a trip to Florida for Castro. Her two sons and grandson were able to accompany her on this vacation.would like to travel can receive treat -ment almost anywhere they go, and scheduling visits to remote dialysis facilities is a convenient and flexible process. For the majority of the time she's been on dialysis, Castro has gone to a Fresenius Medical Care facility in Chula Vista, Calif. to receive in-center hemodialysis. During one of her treat -ments in 2001, she spoke to a nurse about traveling and how she might get dialysis treatments in another city. She also spoke with another patient, who was a frequent traveler and consult -ed with social workers. "I was excited depart on a trip, they discuss their plans with staff members at their clinic, or can call the Patient Travel Service directly to help make arrangements for their treatment on the road. "It's reas-suring to be able to ask questions to the social worker beforehand, because it makes me more comfortable with the whole process," says Castro. "Now I've learned to enjoy traveling without focusing so much on my dialysis." Before she went on dialysis, Castro had a full-time job as the manager of an obstetrics clinic. Now she's active in the Southern California Renal Disease ESRD patient offers help with travel service Patient Travel_NNI0410_5.indd 46 3/18/10 4:49:32 PM
You must have JavaScript enabled to view digital editions.
