DaVita Kidney Care Supports New Program from the American Board of Internal Medicine for Nephrologists

DENVER, June 16, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- DaVita Kidney Care, a division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. (NYSE: DVA) and a leading provider of kidney care services committed to improving the quality of life for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), today announced that the company has partnered with the Renal Physicians Association (RPA) and the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) to allow DaVita-affiliated nephrologists to earn Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credits for participating in dialysis unit quality improvement activities. This new program follows guidelines set for earning MOC credits in accordance with the ABIM's Approved Quality Improvement (AQI) program.  

"Our nephrologists are clinical leaders," said Mark Kaplan, MD, vice president, medical affairs, clinical IT and architecture for DaVita Kidney Care. "Developing this new program means our nephrologists will get credit for activities they already do every day and allows them to concentrate their time and energy toward providing high quality care for their patients."

Certification through the ABIM is optional for nephrologists and helps highlight their knowledge and skill level for patients looking for high quality care.

The ABIM approved a total of 20 points per year toward MOC credit for DaVita-affiliated nephrologists taking part in Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) activities in dialysis centers, activities both DaVita facility medical directors and affiliated physicians already perform.

Nephrologists will be able to input the dates and topic of the quality improvement activities into the RPA registry regardless of whether or not they are a registered RPA member. The registry will then forward the information entered to the nephrologists' selected facility administrators to approve the activity.

This program will cost $50 per year, far less than the thousands of dollars typically spent on earning MOC points. The RPA anticipates that the registry will be able to accept nephrologist requests for MOC points in the fourth quarter of 2016.

About DaVita Kidney Care
DaVita Kidney Care is a division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., a Fortune 500® 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 March 31, 2016, DaVita Kidney Care operated or provided administrative services at 2,278 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately 180,000 patients. The company also operated 124 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.

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Lindsey Robinson
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SOURCE DaVita Kidney Care