Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS): its strengths, limitations, and role in informing practices and policies.

Introduction The Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) is a leading source of up-to-date, representative, and comprehensive data on hemodialysis practice and patient outcomes worldwide. Since its inception, the study’s primary aim has been to identify practices that extend survival and improve health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) for hemodialysis patients. The DOPPS has yielded research findings directly relevant to patients, health care providers, and policy makers. The following provides an overview of the study’s design and analytic approach, selected research findings and relevance to policy, new directions, and ways that the study complements other sources of dialysis data.