Chapter IV: Technical operating conditions

Back-up is provided in a haemodialysis centre or in a medicalised dialysis unit under the conditions set out in article D. 6124-67. When it is provided for by agreement, this agreement mentions the number of dialysis patients being treated; this number of patients is to be taken into account by the health establishments carrying out the transfer, in order to calculate the number of transfer stations required.

All self-dialysis units operate with the assistance of nephrologists who are qualified or competent in nephrology. The team of nephrologists may be shared with that of a haemodialysis centre or a medical dialysis unit. This team is on call twenty-four hours a day to respond to any medical emergencies for patients undergoing dialysis in the unit. This on-call service may also be provided under the conditions set out in article…

The so-called simple self-dialysis unit has at least one nurse trained in haemodialysis for every eight patients treated, without prejudice to other paramedical staff. The assisted self-dialysis unit has at least one nurse trained in haemodialysis for every six patients treated, without prejudice to other paramedical staff. All units have a nurse on duty during the session, even when only two patients are being treated simultaneously.

The premises in which the simple self-dialysis unit or the assisted self-dialysis unit is installed may be shared by these units, a medical dialysis unit or a haemodialysis centre. In this case, the patients treated simultaneously are dialysed in separate rooms, depending on whether simple self-dialysis, assisted self-dialysis or medicalised dialysis is involved. However, it is possible to treat a group of haemodialysis patients successively in the same room in…

In the simple self-dialysis unit, each patient is allocated a dialysis machine, without sharing, to ensure a wide range of treatment times. Patients themselves monitor the dialysis session and clean and disinfect the machine themselves. In the assisted self-dialysis unit, a haemodialysis station can only be used by a maximum of two patients per day, to allow them to have longer sessions if they so wish or if medically indicated….