Questions to ask your renal team
It helps to arrive at your next renal appointment with a short written list. These questions can help you understand referrals, session planning and day to day arrangements, while your renal team remains the one that decides on treatment.
Start with the basics of your plan
Your appointment can feel rushed, so begin with the main points you want clarified. Keep your questions general and write down the answers in plain words that make sense to you at home. If something is unclear, ask the renal nurse or doctor to repeat it in a simpler way. It is better to ask twice than leave with the wrong idea.
Focus on what applies to your own referral and ongoing care. Treatment decisions, timing and any changes to your care plan must come from your renal team, not from general guides. If you become acutely unwell, have severe symptoms or think you have an emergency, go to the nearest emergency unit.
- What is my current care plan and who is coordinating it?
- Am I being referred for outpatient haemodialysis, and what happens next?
- Which parts of my care are managed by my doctor, my renal unit and the dialysis clinic?
- Who should I speak to if I do not understand part of the plan?
- What should I do if my condition changes suddenly between appointments?
Ask about referrals and joining the clinic
For a new patient, the referral process is often the first thing to confirm. Ask what documents are needed and whether anything still needs to be sent by your doctor or renal unit. A simple checklist can save an extra trip across Bedfordview or the East Rand if one paper is missing.
You can also ask how updates are shared once you have started attending. Some patients like to know who tells them about shift arrangements, account queries or missing paperwork, and in what order that usually happens. Bring a notebook because details can be easy to forget later.
- Has my referral been sent and received?
- Are there forms, reports or authorisation documents still needed?
- When will I know whether I can start attending the clinic?
- Who should I contact through the contact page if referral paperwork is still outstanding?
- How will my doctor or renal unit stay informed after I start?
Check shift times and session day planning
Outpatient haemodialysis is arranged in scheduled shifts, and practical planning matters. Ask which shift options may be available to you, and whether morning, afternoon or evening attendance is likely to suit your medical plan and travel needs. The clinic team can explain the general routine, but your renal team decides what is appropriate for you.
It also helps to ask how early you should arrive, what to do if traffic on the N3 or local Bedfordview roads causes a delay, and how shift changes are usually handled. Load-shedding, weather and transport issues can affect planning on some days so ask what the usual process is.
- Which shift has been recommended for me, and why?
- What time should I aim to arrive before my scheduled session?
- What should I do if I am running late because of traffic or transport problems?
- How are shift changes requested and confirmed?
- What is the general routine when I arrive for a session?
Talk through what to bring and comfort during sessions
Your first few visits are easier when you know what to pack and how to dress. Ask your renal team what they want you to bring each time, and whether there is anything specific they want kept with your records or bag. Keep the list short and practical so it is easy to follow before each session.
Comfort matters too. While treatment decisions are clinical, everyday items such as a jersey for cooler indoor temperatures, reading material or other permitted personal items can make the session feel more manageable. Ask what is suitable for the clinic setting and what is better left at home, some patients overpack on the first day.
- What documents or identification should I bring to each visit?
- Should I bring my current medicine list to appointments?
- What clothing is easiest for session days?
- Are there comfort items I may bring with me?
- What should I leave at home to keep things simple?
Plan transport, parking and support
Transport is one of the most important practical topics to raise, especially if someone else is driving you from Germiston, Kensington, Linksfield, Edenvale or nearby areas. Ask what arrival and collection planning usually works best, and whether there are parking points or drop off arrangements your family should know about before the first visit.
If a relative or caregiver helps you with appointments, take them along when possible so they can hear the same information first hand. This avoids crossed wires later and makes session days easier to organise. It also helps to ask who may accompany you and what the normal visiting arrangements are on treatment days.
- What is the best way to plan lift arrangements for my shift?
- Where should my driver park or collect me?
- Can a family member or caregiver come with me for the first visit?
- What should I do if my transport falls through at short notice?
- Are there any arrival procedures my support person should know about?
Clarify accounts, medical aid and follow up
Before you start, ask how account administration works in general terms. Medical aid and private patients are welcome, but each patient should still confirm what documents, approvals or account details are needed for their own file. It is sensible to ask this early rather than sort it out after sessions have already been booked.
You can also ask how follow up communication usually happens and what kinds of queries should go back to your renal team. Keep in mind that the clinic can explain attendance, referrals and general processes, while your own renal team decides on treatment. If you leave the appointment with unanswered medical questions, write them down and raise them at the next review.
- What account or authorisation information must be confirmed before I start?
- If I am a private patient, what paperwork should I prepare?
- How do I ask a general account question through the contact page?
- Which questions should go to the clinic, and which should go back to my renal team?
- When is my next review and what should I bring to it?
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Questions we get asked
Should I take notes to my renal appointment?
Yes. A short written list helps you remember your main questions and makes it easier to follow the answers later at home.
Can the clinic tell me what treatment I will receive?
Treatment decisions are made by your own renal team. The clinic can explain general processes for attendance, referrals and session planning.
What if I feel very unwell before my next appointment?
If you think you have an emergency or severe new symptoms, go to the nearest emergency unit rather than waiting for a routine appointment.
Also worth a look
Ask about a referral or a session time
Send a note through our contact form with your name, your referring doctor or renal unit and the shift you prefer, and the clinic team will contact you.
Open the contact form