DaVita Kidney Care is Committed to Transplant Education

Company recognizes need for patients to learn about their treatment options during 'Donate Life' Month

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Apr 23, 2015, 10:33 ET

DENVER, April 23, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- DaVita Kidney Care, a division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. (NYSE: DVA) and a leading provider of kidney care services, is recognizing the education of dialysis patients about the kidney transplantation process during April, which is "National Donate Life Month."

There are nearly 110,000 candidates on the kidney transplant list, according to the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS), which provides real-time transplant statistics. Although there is no definitive answer to "when will a kidney be available" – in some cases, people wait only a few days or weeks before receiving a donor organ – the average wait time is three years.

"We want our patients to be educated about treatment options including transplant so they can make more informed decisions and ultimately, have a better quality of life," said Javier Rodriguez, CEO of DaVita Kidney Care. "Too many patients with kidney disease aren't educated about the transplant process. It's important to make this knowledge accessible."

Although a patient's nephrologist may be the first to discuss the entire spectrum of treatment options available to a patient, DaVita Kidney Care has long been committed to ensuring its patients receive a thorough kidney transplant education within 30 days of their first dialysis treatment. As part of this program, DaVita Kidney Care patients are educated about the step-by-step transplant process and requirements, health benefits of a transplant and the transplant center options available to them. DaVita Kidney Care social workers also re-educate patients about kidney transplantation at least once a year.

The company has educated 92 percent of its patients about the kidney transplantation process and is an industry leader in how it systematically tracks that education, according to internal data. The constant start of new patients, the education process, patient willingness to be educated and a fail-safe tracking methodology have all been limitations to achieving the 100 percent target.

For more information, visit www.davita.com.

DaVita and DaVita HealthCare Partners are trademarks or registered trademarks of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc.

About DaVita Kidney Care
DaVita Kidney Care is a division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., a Fortune 500(r) company that, through its operating divisions, provides a variety of health care services to patient populations throughout the United States and abroad. A leading provider of dialysis services in the United States, DaVita Kidney Care treats patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita Kidney Care strives to improve patients' quality of life by innovating clinical care, and by offering integrated treatment plans, personalized care teams and convenient health-management services. As of Dec. 31, 2014, DaVita Kidney Care operated or provided administrative services at 2,179 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately 173,000 patients. The company also operated 91 outpatient dialysis centers located in 10 countries outside the United States. DaVita Kidney Care supports numerous programs dedicated to creating positive, sustainable change in communities around the world. The company's leadership development initiatives and social responsibility efforts have been recognized by Fortune, Modern Healthcare, Newsweek and WorldBlu. For more information, please visit DaVita.com.