Home-dialysis

Professor Marit Halvorsen. Photo: Jan Fredrik Frantzen.

Professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of Oslo, Marit Halvorsen, has used home dialysis for more than ten years now. She hooks up to the machine every evening, with help of friends and family, and her blood is cleansed.

- I love my work and I can continue with it because I have my hospital at home, says Pr. Halvorsen.

Cost effective for the community

To do her dialysis at the hospital would be a less cost effective solution. She could not have continued in her job and she saves transport costs to and from the hospital. In addition is a simple home dialysis almost ten times less expensive as the one done in the hospital.

Individual solutions

Home dialysis demands safe and secure contact with the hospital. If the machine stops, she must be able to call the nurse on duty and get immediate help.

- We need communication solutions between the patient and the hospital, and these solutions must be patient oriented. I need to send e-mails to the hospital, says Pr. Halvorsen.

Summer hospital

Another important reason why Pr. Halvorsen appreciates the home dialysis so much is that she can have the machine moved to her summer house one hour from Oslo in summer time. This is her way of getting some vacation.

- It is really like I have one winter and one summer hospital. I can have some vacation and enjoy a different kind of view than I usually have, says Pr. Halvorsen.