A Cluster Randomized Trial to Assess the Impact of Patient and Provider Education on Use of Home Dialysis

Patients with severe kidney failure require dialysis or transplantation to survive. For those in whom a transplant is not an option, there are two main dialysis options: hemodialysis (either incenter or at home) or home peritoneal dialysis. Home-based therapies (peritoneal and home hemodialysis) are under-utilized in many Canadian jurisdictions with the proportion of home-based therapies varying between 10 and 40% across centres. Studies show that the low use of home dialysis is due to a variety of factors, though patient and provider awareness and knowledge of home dialysis are major factors. In this cluster randomized trial, the investigators will determine whether a standardized modality education program directed at patients, in combination with a provider-directed intervention, can increase the use of home dialysis in incident dialysis patients in Canada.