Nationwide, more than 400,000 Americans have kidney disease so bad that they need regular dialysis Ģý meaning they have to connect to a machine for several hours at least three times a week to clean their blood of toxins.
ĢýThey have to come at a certain time, so itĢýs very scheduled, very regimented, and their time is not their own,Ģý says Dr. Robert LaClair, a nephrologist, or kidney specialist at St. PeterĢýs hospital in Helena.
ĢýThe way we do dialysis in this country, no one would be saying, Ģýthis is the way we should be doing things.Ģý No one would,Ģý LaClair says.
When he came to St. PeterĢýs five years ago, LaClair decided he was going to do things differently. He was going to encourage as many of his patients as possible to dialyze at home.
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