Management: Patients With Adequate Hemodialysis

Dialysis removes harmful waste buildup that occurs when kidneys fail to function. Hemodialysis is the most common method used to treat advanced and permanent kidney failure. The adequacy of dialysis is measured by the percentage of hemodialysis patients with a urea reduction ratio (URR) equal to or greater than 65%; this measure indicates how well urea, a waste product in the blood, is eliminated by the artificial kidney.

Figure 2.7. Hemodialysis patients with adequate dialysis (urea reduction ratio 65% or higher), 2001-2003

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Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ESRD Clinical Performance Measures Project, 2001-2003.

• Between 2001 and 2003, the percentage of all hemodialysis patients with adequate dialysis improved significantly, from 84% to 87% (Figure 2.7).

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