Can I receive dialysis at home?

Jeanne Morrison, PhD
Family Medicine
Yes, dialysis can be done in your home. You and your doctor will decide which place is best, based on your medical condition and your needs.  Both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis can be administered at home.  If you and your doctor select home treatment, intensive training will be done to ensure you are comfortable and confident in the total treatment option.  You will still follow up with your doctor at regular intervals to measure the success of your treatment.


The great majority of people on dialysis receive treatment at a hospital or clinic, but the number of those receiving home dialysis is growing. There are great advantages to home dialysis, since going to a clinic three to six times a week for several hours at a time can be very stressful and inconvenient. Both types of dialysis, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, can be administered at home. You will need to undergo extensive training to learn how to do home dialysis, and you will still need to go to a clinic at least once a month and provide a blood sample to monitor the success of your treatment.

Continue Learning about Dialysis


Healthy kidneys remove waste from your blood and produce hormones your body needs. If your kidneys fail, you either need a kidney transplant or dialysis. Dialysis is a procedure that uses a machine to perform many of the functions ...

of the kidney. Dialysis can help prevent problems resulting from kidney failure and it allows people with kidney failure to live productive lives. Dialysis filters your blood, and like a health kidney, removes waste from your blood. Patients using dialysis are also required to follow a strict diet in order to stay healthy. There are two types of dialysis: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. There are different advantages and disadvantages with both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Talk to your doctor about which type of dialysis would work better for you.
