Abstract Objective: to describe the clinical and demographic characteristics of incident patients in dialysis, and its relation to the programmed start of dialysis in the Renal Unit of Tolima in Ibague. Context and type of study: cross-sectional observational study. Reference population comprised nephrology patients treated at 10 hospitals in the city of Ibague and patients attending the outpatient nephrology Renal Unit of Tolima. Material and methods: information collected by researchers by reviewing medical records, demographic and clinical variables that determine the characteristics of admission to dialysis. Results: we analyzed 74 patients with a mean age of 65 years. In 82.4% the initial dialysis modality was hemodialysis. 93.5% of patients starting hemodialysis started in a nonprogrammed way. 43.2% of all incident patients to dialysis had prior nephrology assessment, and of these, 71.9% were admitted for dialysis in a nonprogrammed way. 50% of patients who live outside of Ibague and 43.7% of those in rural areas select hemodialysis as a definitive therapy. Factors associated in a statistically significant way to the programmed start of dialysis, are: prior nephrology care, contributory health scheme, diabetic nephropathy, ambulatory status at the start of dialysis, and peritoneal dialysis as initial dialysis modality. Conclusions: incident patients had an advanced age, and were mostly admitted being hospitalized without definitive dialysis access even within the group of patients with prior management by nephrology. (Acta Med Colomb 2013; 38: 138-142).