Comparative Economics of Hemofiltration Treatment

The importance of hemofiltration (HF) as a safe and efficient method of treatment especially for critically ill patients, has been pointed out on numerous occasions. In addition, it proves to be of equal quality when compared with all conventional methods of treatment. One of the reasons which speaks against an increased application of HF routinely is that it is, as yet, a rather expensive method in comparison with hemodialysis (HD) and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). The topic to be considered is a comparison of the various costs for the different methods of dialysis treatment, dealing not only with the direct costs but also with indirect or additional treatment costs. In illustrating such problems, it must then be possible to say how the total costs can be influenced by the increased application of one or more dialysis or other treatment methods.