Peer support for renal patients: the Patient Visitor Program.

Since it was instituted in 1977, the Patient Visitor Program has continued to provide peer support among renal patients. Although up-to-date statistics are not available on the current involvement of the volunteers who were given the initial training, some have remained physically active and continue to be available in their home area. The number of visits made by each volunteer per year has depended on the needs of new renal patients in each area--for example, on whether the area was urban or rural. The Patient Visitor Program is available to all newly diagnosed renal patients in Iowa. The majority of these patients take advantage of the opportunity to meet with a volunteer. Although the program was particularly designed to serve new renal patients, the volunteers have reported that meetings with new patients have been positive experiences for them, too. The Patient Visitor Program has proved to be a low-cost method of augmenting the personalized services available to newly diagnosed renal patients scattered throughout Iowa. Such a program could be designed for patients with other chronic illnesses as well.