KIDNEY DISEASE

What are the common symptoms of kidney disease?

Nausea, vomit, swollen limbs and fatigue are the most common visible symptoms of kidney disease. Your doctor can measure your glomerular filtration rate (GFR) which measures your level of kidney function (normal levels can vary from 90 to 120 mL/min/1.73 m2). Your GFR levels are calculated using your blood creatinine levels, sex, age and other factors. This simple measure can help determine your stage of kidney disease as well as whether a dialysis treatment is needed.

What are the causes of kidney disease?

Diabetes, high blood pressure, excess weight, age over 55 years, kidney swelling (glomerulonephritis), blood vessel swelling (vasculitis) and kidney cysts (polycystic kidneys) are all risk factors. However, your kidneys can suffer sudden shocks in some cases after an acute disease, complicated surgery, cardiac arrest or other serious complications. Self-medication and smoking also cause kidney damage.

HEMODIALYSIS AND HEMODIAFILTRATION

How can hemodialysis help me?

Hemodialysis can help your body remove toxins, control its blood pressure and maintain an adequate equilibrium of fluids and minerals (like potassium and sodium). Generally, hemodialysis should begin before kidney failure advances to a stage where it can cause potentially lethal complications.

How would I know if I need hemodialysis?

Your treating nephrologist can help determine when and whether you should begin a hemodialysis treatment in regard to various factors, including: your general health, your level of kidney function, general symptoms, quality of life and other personal preferences.

What is a vascular access?

In order to have access to cleansing your blood stream, a specialized physician will perform surgery to install a vascular access. The vascular access creates a safe mechanism so that a small amount of blood can be extracted and then returned to your bloodstream after having been cleansed. The surgery to install a vascular access needs time to heal before you can begin hemodialysis.

There are 3 types of vascular access:

What to do in between treatments?

When you are not in a dialysis session, you can enhance the effectiveness of your treatment by:

What tests do I need to perform to monitor my condition?

Your medical team keeps track of your evolution to ensure that you are receiving the appropriate dialysis treatment to eliminate excess toxins from your blood. Your weight and blood pressure are closely measured, before, during and after your treatment. Make sure that at least once a month you perform the following lab tests:

Why is out-of-hospital care more effective for stable dialysis patients?

General hospitals are large institutions, designed to treat multiple types of medical disease and complications. This is generally a good environment for an emergency, is usually not ideal for specialized types of recurring treatments. Further, kidney patients present immunosuppression or weakness in their immune systems, which creates a risk when they are in contact with other medical conditions and viral disease contagion areas such as hospitals. A specialized kidney center is especially designed and operated to increase safety, efficiency (less wait times), to deliver the most comfortable experience and to improve outcomes through medical specialization.

How do I get in touch with you to learn more about your services?

At Plénita we are open Monday to Saturday from 7am to 9pm to answer all your questions, inquiries and provide you with all the information you need. We would be glad to show you our facilities, introduce you to our staff and provide you a more detailed overview of our comprehensive treatment model for kidney disease.

¿Who has access to the digital medical records of patients?

At Plénita we take great care to handle all confidential and medical information in compliance with applicable regulation. This is why only the patient, and his or her tutors in case of a minor, can have access to their medical information and provide consent to any third parties parties that they wish to transmit their information.

What happens with my medical records if I wish to change dialysis center?

Absolutely nothing. Each patient decides freely when to access his or her medical file and records and is always free to print it or retrieve it for the use that he or she deems appropriate.

How long is each session?

Between 3 and 4 hours, depending on the prescription for each case provided by the treating nephrologist.

What is the benefit of not reusing filters?

We put our patients needs always first. By deciding not to reuse filters, we incur in a higher cost per session, but we can be confident that we reduce to the maximum the risk of infection, increase treatment effectiveness and lower the probability of any chemical intoxication or lower filter performance.

Does Mexico´s Health Ministry allow filter reuse?

Mexico´s Health Ministry allows filter reuse for up to 12 sessions, and this is why the practice is prevalent in other dialysis centers across Mexico. At Plénita, its our decision to use a brand new filter for each session.

What type of technology do you use?

We employ the latest dialysis equipment imported directly from Germany from B. Braun®, a leading multinational company with more tan 30 years in the kidney care equipment industry.

What other services do you provide?

We take a comprehensive approach to kidney care, and bring together a variety of health services for kidney patients, such as: clinical analysis, medical consultations, nutritional counseling, emotional support, hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration, and others.

Do you provide kidney transplant protocols?

Yes, we provide assistance and preparation protocols for kidney transplants. At Plénita we look to deliver the highest quality, safe and effective preparation protocols for kidney transplant. We feel proud that many patients have trusted us with the preparation treatments for their successful transplant surgeries.

What is the difference between treating myself at Plénita and a private hospital?

Whether you receive hemodialysis of hemodiafiltration, at Plénita we take a comprehensive approach to kidney care. This is our specialty and the reason why each treatment session includes an array of health services, such as lab tests, nutritional and emotional support, which track your health and enable your medical team to provide a personalized experience. In addition, our facilities are designed for warmth, comfort and efficiency (less wait times) which helps improve outcomes and enhance our patients quality of life.

¿Why was Plénita the fist dialysis provider in Western Mexico to adopt the hemodiafiltration technology?

At Plénita we are always looking out for our patients’ health. We believe that even though hemodiafiltration may be a little more costly because of the specialized machines, dedicated water-filtration infrastructure and required consumables, the improvement in treatment effectiveness and the consequent reduction in up to 30% of mortality rate more than make it worth it. Our partner doctors and the patients that have been prescribed hemodiafiltration have given us very positive feedback. This is a treatment modality widely used in Europe and we’ll continue to invest in enhancing our patients’ quality of life through new technology as it becomes available.

What does “effective dialysis time” mean?

“Effective dialysis time” is the real time that takes place from the moment that a patient is connected to the machine and the blood cleansing process begins until the end of this process; it does not include prep time, admin, triage or registration time.

What is hemodiafiltration?

Hemodiafiltration (HDF) is the most advanced dialysis technology in the world, and the closest external substitute to a real kidney. It employs a double filtration procedure which cleanses a greater amount of molecules tan the traditional hemodialysis treatment. It is a slightly more expensive treatment, as it requires specialized supplies and infrastructure.

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

Can I switch to Plénita if I am already receiving treatment somewhere else?

You can bring your medical prescription to Plénita to receive treatment anytime, even if you are already receiving treatment at another center or hospital. We have received patients from many centers who feel more comfortable with our comprehensive model. You will need to submit your medical records and complete a medical assessment by our resident team before we can extend you admission to Plénita.

Patient medical records should include: serologic blood tests, medical prescriptions, and the latest lab tests available. In case you don´t have these records we can administer the required tests at Plénita within 24 hrs.

Does my treating nephrologist need to be part of the Plénita network?

Not necessarily. At Plénita we are open to work with all nephrologists that have a valid medical certification.

What credentials do Plénita doctors have?

Our nephrologists are certified by Mexico´s Nephrology Council.

With what type of specialists do Plénita work with?

All the medical specialists that we work with have at least 5 years of experience in their respective fields.

What type of workshops or services compliment Plénita dialysis treatments?

At Plénita we seek to empower our patients through transparency and by making relevant information as readily accessible as possible. We regularly conduct trainings on specific subjects, such as nutrition, emotional management, and health precautions, like the importance of fistulas and the need to maintain an active lifestyle. Our comprehensive model of care ensures that a multidisciplinary team is always there to assist and help our patients.

PRICING

How do Plénita´s prices compare to other alternatives?

Our prices are very competitive in relation to the leading private hospitals in Mexico. We are not a low-cost operator, but can offer competitive prices due to our specialized model and more efficient use of resources.

What does my treatment session include?

We include monthly lab tests, iron and erythropoietin meds, comprehensive health support, dedicated resident team and nursing staff, administrative assistance, health tracking and digital records, bio-stimulation muscle therapy, health and wellness workshops, nutritional support, emotional counseling, exercise program, lunchbox and library.

Why does Plénita offer so many services not available at other centers?

Our comprehensive model is designed with our patients needs always in mind. As a specialized provider of kidney care, we are able to operate with more focus and greater efficiency than a general hospital, while at the same time offering greater personalization in our service and treatments. The result is better outcomes and an enhanced quality of life for our patients.

What insurance companies does Plénita work with?

GNP, Alianz, Inbursa, Zurich, Multiva, Mapfre, Bupa, MetLife, Axa, Plan Seguro.

FACILITIES

Where are you located?

Guadalajara, Mexico. Our address is: Efraín González Luna 2531, between Francisco de Quevedo and Lope de Vega.

What are your hours?

General: Monday to Saturday from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.
Dialysis: Monday to Saturday at 7:00 am, 11:30 am and 4:00 pm

What type of water purification system do you have?

Our facilities are completely designed with dedicated infrastructure to support the highest standards of kidney care delivery, including water filtration. We employ a double pass osmosis treatment procedure, which is a specialized method to obtain the most suitable water purity for dialysis treatments.