Networking, a Factor of Success for a Dialysis Outpatient Unit in Prospective Comparison

Aim: Technical innovations like networking a dialysis outpatient unit are offered to medical services with manifold advantages although good documented comparative analyses on this subject do not exist. In a prospective analysis the changes in work flow for different medical skills of dialysis treatment were evaluated in a dialysis outpatient unit before and after implementation of the NEXADIA system from B. Braun Medizintechnologie GmbH. Method: Working processes of nursing and medical staff were evaluated during dialysis treatment of 10 patients in a dialysis outpatient unit before and after implementation of a networking system. The working processes were prescribed by a quality manual (ISO management manual). Results: 7 working processes of the nursing staff and 2 working processes of the medical staff could be identified which were influenced by networking. Time saving per dialysis treatment summed up to 21.4 minutes for the nursing staff and to 0.7 minutes for the medical staff. Conclusion: By networking a dialysis outpatient unit high potentials of working time per patient can be gained in the routine dialysis treatment. In our days, with increasing economic limitations, the alternative use of this time benefit is a remarkable strategic factor of success.