Marlene notes that some centers haven't been open long enough to collect the data required for a CMS star rating and suggests that other dialysis patients (or caregivers of loved ones with dialysis) ask the following questions when vetting a dialysis center:

How long have you been open? "If they've only been open six months, that would tell me a lot — maybe they deserve a good rating but haven't had the time to get the full accreditation," says Marlene. "If they said, 'We've been open for 18 years,' that would make me wonder."
How many technicians work there, and how many seats are available? "You don't want a staff that's spread thin," she notes.
Is there a doctor on-site? "If there's a problem and they have to call the doctor, and he or she has to come from 15 miles away, that's not ideal," she says.
How often does the physician see the patients? "I like having a doctor that comes around at least once a week to talk to patients, ask if they have questions, and go over the medical records and dialysis results," she explains.
What other resources are available? "It's an eye-opener what you can and can't do with kidney disease," Marlene says. "You have to watch your potassium, your salt. On my kitchen door, you will see a whole list of 'can eat' and 'cannot have.'
Do they have classes where they can educate you about what to eat, or recipes you can use? That's something that's kind of minor, but it's still good to know."

"With everything we've had to deal with, they've exceeded the bar," says Marlene Cox. "I can leave my husband there, and for four hours, I can breathe. I don't have to worry about him, because he's in good care, he's convenient to get to if I have to, and the doctor is right there. He's not just a person sitting down in a chair and hooked up to a machine there."

Instant Insights /

Ratings guide kidney patients to better quality

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