Frequently Asked Questions

Non-medical home support means we provide assistance with day-to-day tasks, transportation, companionship, and logistical coordination — but we do not provide medical care, administer medications, perform clinical assessments, or replace the work of licensed healthcare providers such as nurses, physicians, or therapists. Our companions are trained professionals who work alongside your medical team, not in place of them.

A Dialysis Support Companion is a trained non-medical professional who accompanies dialysis patients on treatment days. They provide transportation to and from the dialysis center; companionship, help with everyday comfort needs, and reporting observed concerns according to the agreed communication plan; no clinical assessment or treatment monitoring; organizing unopened supplies and household storage according to the dialysis team's instructions; no sterile treatment setup or dialysis-equipment operation; and post-treatment support at home. This service is designed to make treatment days easier and less isolating for patients and their families. VitalBridge's nonmedical service does not include needle insertion, catheter connections, dialysis-machine programming, medication administration, or clinical management of treatment alarms. Clinical dialysis care remains with the patient's licensed healthcare team and appropriately authorized persons.

We are developing a service to help people considering home dialysis identify a dependable caregiver and coordinate that caregiver's attendance at training with an approved home-dialysis program. Planned support includes caregiver matching, scheduling, training-attendance coordination, companionship, and agreed nonmedical help at home. Availability will depend on the dialysis program's acceptance, the patient's care plan, and confirmed service arrangements. This program is in development and is not yet available for booking. Attendance at training does not by itself authorize a VitalBridge worker to perform dialysis procedures. Any designated care-partner duties require acceptance by the dialysis program and confirmation that they are permitted within the worker's role.

Personal Care is respectful, hands-on help with everyday personal routines: bathing and showering, grooming and oral care, dressing, toileting and continence support, and mobility, standby assistance and transfers. It is non-medical personal care, worked to a scope we agree with you in writing before service begins. It does not include nursing, wound or catheter care, medication administration, injections, or any care of a dialysis access site such as a fistula, graft or catheter — those remain with your licensed healthcare team.

Yes. Our Meal Preparation service covers planning meals around your own tastes and routine, grocery shopping and putting things away, cooking and portioning for later, keeping the fridge and pantry in order, and clearing up afterwards. We follow written dietary guidance provided by you or your care team. We do not assess nutritional needs, design therapeutic or renal diets, or give dietary advice — if you have a prescribed diet, share it with us in writing and we will cook to it.

Our Travel Dialysis Support service enables dialysis patients to travel — for work, vacation, or family events — with confidence. We coordinate with dialysis centers at the destination, manage logistics, and provide an on-site companion to support the patient during treatments while away from home. Pricing is customized based on the scope and duration of travel.

Our established services are Dialysis Support Companion, Travel Dialysis Support, Companion Care, and our house cleaning and property turnover services. In development, and not yet available for booking, are the Home-Dialysis Caregiver Matching & Training Attendance program, Caregiver Respite, Chronic Care Support, and Workforce Integration. Programs in development are labelled as such wherever they appear. Contact us to register interest and we will let you know when they open.

Not automatically. A nonmedical companion may not meet the dialysis program's care-partner requirements. The program must approve the individual and their assigned duties.

Some home-dialysis care partners do not need prior medical credentials, but they must complete the dialysis program's training for their specific duties. Paid workers also need confirmation that those duties are permitted within their employment role.

Our currently established services operate on a private-pay basis. Funding for the proposed program is still being explored. Medicare coverage of eligible home-dialysis training does not cover paid home-dialysis aides or lost wages during training. We cannot guarantee reimbursement.

Companion Care is priced at $30–$40 per hour. Dialysis Support Companion services are priced at $40–$60 per hour. Travel Dialysis Support is priced on a custom basis depending on the specifics of your travel plans. All pricing is transparent with no hidden fees. Contact us for a personalized quote.

VitalBridge Care Services currently operates on a private pay model. We do not accept insurance at this time. This allows us to keep our intake process straightforward and our pricing transparent. We are happy to provide documentation you may use to seek reimbursement from your insurer independently, though we cannot guarantee any reimbursement outcomes.

Yes. VitalBridge Care Services operates with HIPAA-conscious practices throughout our intake and service delivery. Critically, we do not collect Protected Health Information (PHI) through our website or general contact forms. Any sensitive health-related information shared during the intake process is handled with strict confidentiality protocols.

As a non-medical support service, VitalBridge Care Services is not a covered entity under HIPAA in the traditional sense. However, we have adopted HIPAA-conscious operational practices — meaning we apply HIPAA privacy principles to guide how we handle all personal and health-adjacent information. This means we do not collect PHI online, limit information sharing to what is necessary, and train our team accordingly.

Getting started is simple. Complete our intake inquiry form on the Contact page — select whether you are a client, family member, healthcare partner, or prospective caregiver. Our team will review your submission and reach out within 24 hours to discuss your needs and create a personalized care plan.

Absolutely. We welcome referrals from dialysis centers, hospitals, discharge planners, social workers, and other healthcare professionals. We have a dedicated Business Partner intake pathway designed to make the referral process smooth and efficient. Contact us to discuss establishing a referral relationship.

We are always looking for compassionate, reliable individuals to join our team as care companions. Use the Contact page and select "Join Our Care Team" as your inquiry type. We will share information about our current openings, requirements, and the application process.