Environmental Scan of Digital Access Infrastructure in Canadian Hemodialysis Units for People Receiving In-Center Hemodialysis: A Research Letter

Many people receiving dialysis seek out health-related information online, including through social media, which offers increasing patient education opportunities. The medical community should leverage these possibilities to develop educational resources, while ensuring equitable access. Using publicly available contact information from the Canadian Organ Replacement Register Directory (CORR), an environmental scan was conducted to assess the digital infrastructure currently available to patients in hemodialysis units across Canada. Of the 340 hemodialysis units across Canada contacted by phone to inquire about internet access and other related resources available to patients in their units, 310 provided data. A vast majority (91%) of units offer internet access to patients. Over half of units not offering internet access (16/27; 59%) are located in Quebec. Only 4% have dialysis stations with individual multifunction touch screens permitting access to Internet-based material, while 19% have tablets available on loan to patients. Notable differences are seen across provinces, with tablet availability varying from 56% of units in Alberta to no availability in Manitoba. Overall, 84% of respondents felt that their resources meet patients’ needs in terms of digital infrastructure. Many respondents mentioned that most patients bring their own devices to access Internet and/or that their units are equipped with televisions, which are preferred by many older patients. This environmental scan shows variability in available resources to access internet in hemodialysis units across Canada. Efforts should be made to promote equitable access and to provide support to less technologically-inclined individuals if Internet-based educational material is to be disseminated.