The Statewide Services Development Branch of the NSW Health Department engaged Health Policy Analysis in February 2008 to undertake a comprehensive and detailed study of the costs of dialysis by modality, and compile costs per patient per year, identify differences between rural and metropolitan Area Health Services and develop a funding model for home based dialysis modalities.  The study involved an extensive literature review, extensive consultation with nephrologists, dialysis nurse unit managers and other stakeholders, a data collection process involving all public sector dialysis units across NSW, management of a survey of the population of patients on dialysis in NSW focusing on out of pocket expenses, and extensive analysis of data including other data sources such as the ANZData registry.  The survey of patients required approval from a lead research ethics committee, and 26 site specific approvals.

The final report is the first Australian report to fully document the full extent of out of pocket expenses faced by dialysis patients.  It is also one of the largest dialysis costing studies undertaken internationally.