We have proudly provided below a brief outline of our Kidney Health Australia Services and Programs to present some of the important work we do within our Australian kidney community. However we encourage you to email health@kidney.org.au to give us suggestions on how we can further assist you.
Our Kidney Health Information Service
 For hearing impaired
TTY (Teletypewriter service for hearing impaired) Callers who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment may use the National Relay Service - www.relayservice.com.au - A trained operator helps you connect to Kidney Health Australia and will stay online to ensure you can communicate effectively with our operators to obtain the information you need. Australian Government Initiative.
What is Kidney Health Information Service (KHIS)? This is Kidney Health Australia’s telephone support service for people living with and/or affected by kidney and urinary disease. It is a freecall service offered throughout Australia and is utilised by the general public, carers, concerned relatives/friends, nurses, social workers, dieticians, occupational therapists, rehabilitation counsellors and students.
How does KHIS work All Kidney Health Information Service (KHIS) calls to this service are answered by a trained receptionist. Then a message is sent to one of our Health Services Managers, who is a trained renal nurse or social worker.
What does KHIS process your query? Calls are initially answered by a trained receptionist (you will first be asked to listen to a heath disclaimer announcement to inform you about the process to register your call). A message is then sent to a Health Services Manager. Your call is returned as soon as possible and information is provided which is relevant to your enquiry. If for some reason our Health Manager is unable to reach the caller, the Health Manager will make a maximum of three attempts over a 48 hour period to respond to your request. It is important to note that this service does not provide specific medical advice. Should the caller require further information or education, they are advised to consult their doctor or health professional.
What types of enquiries are dealt with on KHIS? The most popular calls received are in regards to diet, transplantation, disease states, chronic kidney disease and dialysis. There are also a number of enquiries in relation to practical advice on topics such as holidaying on dialysis or find information on insurance. Some callers wish to find out more about a particular disease state or condition, or are seeking advice in regards to their rights as a patient.
Consumer based programs
Kidney Connect Program
Kidney Health Australia has a number of initiatives which provide you with support from people going through similar experiences to you. This program links you directly with someone who you can talk to about your experiences with kidney disease and listen to their journey. Ask our trained Health Services Managers for more information on what support services are available for you.
Australian Holiday Dialysis Konnections - Chair Swap Program This is Kidney Health Australia's initiative to connect individuals on dialysis in different locations in Australia - you may be able to arrange a vary your routine a little, travel interstate for a special occasion, or enjoy a well earned holiday. This program allows you to identify possible travel options - we facilitate the exchange of contact information with another registered AHD Konnectee - you then liaise directly with this person to identify a ‘chair swap’ for the period you request.
Dialysis Unit Guide Known now as the DUG, this online directory provides accurate location and contact details for most public and private Renal and Dialysis Units in Australia. The DUG may be used for referrals, to help with relocation and to arrange short term stays.
Consumer Participation Councils These Councils have been established in each state to identify, and are informed of, advocacy issues affecting individuals living with kidney and urinary tract disease, their families and carers and all state Councils report to a National Consumer Council who manage these issues on behalf of our 'kidney' community.
Family Accommodation Initiative - Transplant Housing The FAITH Program provides fully furnished accommodation for Western Australian families who need to travel to Perth for living kidney transplants. Since the program's launch Kidney Health Australia has provided numerous rural families with much needed lengthy stays accommodation, which they could not otherwise afford. The FAITH Program has also assisted families travel from Victoria and Queensland to participate in kidney transplants in Western Australia.
Patient Self-Management Program This program aims to raise the quality of life for people living with kidney disease, kidney donors and recipients, their carers and family members through the provisions of information and essential skills and support during each phase of the health and wellness pathway.
Our Kidney Blog and YAP Space - Forum and Chatrooms There programs provide 'social networking' for our kidney community in Australia and open the door to our global kidney community. Speak out and be heard and share with others your experiences with CKD and problems. A problem shared is halved.
The Australian Kidney Patient Charter Our National Consumer Council prioritised twenty four Principles of Optimal Care for Australians with CKD and clearly sets out your rights as an Australian with chronic kidney disease.
Kidney Camps, Capers and Holiday Activities
Our Camps, Capers and Holiday Activities are organised for Kidney Kids, their families or carers and adults who have kidney disease, are on dialysis, and/or have received a transplant.
Kidney Kids Camp For children aged between 7 and 17 years, who are affected by kidney disease. It is an annual five-day camp conducted in Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania on a 12–18 month rotational basis with the aim of national implementation in the near future.
Kidney Capers and holidays An action-packed daytime fun-filled program to give children and parents/carers with an opportunity for social networking and a welcome break from their normal routine. Held for the first time in 2002, this program now attracts up to 60 participants in each State. To find out more about your state's Kidney Capers, contact your local Kidney Health Australia Branch Office.
WA Adult Holiday Dialysis Program - Families applying, who fit this criteria receive an annual week's holiday break in the beautiful south-west town of Busselton, Western Australia using a temporary dialysis unit.
All kidney health education resources produced by us for patients and health professionals are evidence-based. All of our brochures, fact sheets and the various publications, booklets or kidney health advertorials are produced to give precise, up to date information and prevention messages on a wide range of kidney related conditions and treatments. Use our Resource Order Form to order any of our resources - booklets, brochures or publications etc, or call our Kidney Health Information Service - 1800 4 KIDNEY -1800 4 543639.
www.kidney.org.au We are proud of our website which ranks highly in the kidney world. The KHA website blends current evidence-based health information on various kidney conditions, treatment information and healthy living advice gathered by our editorial team as its benchmark. The website accents this information by cross linking to relevant webpages and uses external links to provide a high quality health education resource for your reference to compliment the information which we produce. Refer to our extensive guide to researching health online Using the web to help you become an expert patient as it is important to locate and only refer to high quality information. Our website should of course, be your first reference, as we've done the work for you.
Forums - for kidney patients, carers and health professionals These various Kidney Health Forums aim to provide education and support to people living with kidney disease, kidney donors and recipients, their carers and family members. Some Forums are arranged specifically for health professionals.
Media, Newsletters and Bulletins Call your Kidney Health Australia state office if you would like to join our Health Professionals or Consumer newsletter mailing lists; alternatively join online at www.kidney.org.au
Organ Donation Awareness Kidney Health Australia actively encourages Australians to consider becoming an organ donor, but we do not manage organ and tissue donation registration nor the retrieval and transplantation of organs. We refer all enquiries to either the Organ Donor Registry or the relevant state organ donation agencies.
Our Programs for Health Professionals
The Caring for Australians with Renal Impairment CARI Guidelines seeks to improve the quality of care and outcomes for patients with kidney disease in Australia & New Zealand. CARI offers clinical practice guidelines based on the best available evidence and effectiveness. An evidence-based project from the Council of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology and Kidney Health Australia.
Kidney Check Australia Taskforce (KCAT) Our primary care education program of Kidney Health Australia. It focuses on the education of health professionals – general practitioners, practice nurses, pharmacists and other allied health practitioners. It is the only Australian chronic kidney disease (CKD) program designed specifically for general practice. It runs under the guidance of an expert KCAT committee, comprising of leading
nephrologists, GPs, renal nurses and consumers. KCAT has a fully accredited suite of teaching modules developed by KCAT Committee members and other experts. KCAT also provides on-line opportunities for health professionals, and has produced a very popular Management of CKD in General Practice booklet.
Medical Research Funding Program Kidney Health Australia coordinates and manages an ongoing medical research program. To date, Kidney Health Australia has provided close to $30 million for medical research programs in hospitals and universities.
 The International Federation of Kidney Foundations The IFKF is a not for profit organisation made up of over 60 Council Members, representing kidney foundations, patient groups and organisations in the global 'kidney' community. Kidney Health Australia has been a proud Council Member of the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF) since its creation in 2000, and has done much to help it grow since. Some of our executive staff have served as IFKF Officers and Board Members and the IFKF Secretariat has been hosted in South Australia for over ten years.
Updated 17 August 2010
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