WALTHAM, Mass., Aug. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- A decade after
the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Fresenius Medical Care North
America (FMCNA) celebrates the remarkable stories of its employees
and volunteers who connected patients to life-saving dialysis
treatments during and after the storm. The company is also proud to
continue to lead the industry in preparing for future natural
disasters.
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Katrina left millions on the Gulf Coast without homes, power,
water and vital medical services. More than 7,000 people with
chronic kidney disease did not have access to life-saving
treatments because the storm shut down 100 dialysis clinics in the
region – including 40 FMCNA facilities.
In response, FMCNA, North
America's largest provider of kidney care and a division of
Fresenius Medical Care (NYSE: FMS), mobilized resources and staff
so thousands of patients could receive life-saving dialysis
treatment and care before, during and after the storm. As local
infrastructure was falling apart, FMCNA stepped in to provide the
resources and expertise necessary to provide care when it was
needed most to thousands of dialysis patients, including more than
a thousand of whom were not regular FMCNA patients.
"Our employees remained in the Katrina-affected areas and
volunteered by the hundreds to care for our patients in the days
and months after the storm," said Franklin
W. Maddux, MD, Chief Medical Officer of FMCNA. "They embody
Fresenius Medical Care's patient-centered mission, which is at the
center of everything we do."
The company arranged a caravan, including more than 100 mobile
homes, to bring employees, food, clothing, medical equipment and
supplies to the region after the storm. For displaced patients and
employees, FMCNA created a makeshift village with mobile homes and
tents outside Gulfport, Miss.,
which also served as a temporary treatment center. Along with
regular clinic staff, nearly 200 Fresenius Medical Care employees
volunteered, and the staff treated thousands of dialysis
patients.
For patients, this care was about much more than just dialysis.
It was also about emotional support during a crisis. Peggy Johnson, a 15-year Fresenius Medical Care
patient from Gulfport, formed a
close-knit bond with the nurse who treated her during the storm.
"The uncertainty was scary," said Johnson. "We had to depend on
someone else to make sure we got dialyzing. You've got this
friendly face comforting you, and they bring you something to eat,
too, and say, 'it'll be all right.' That goes a long way when you
can't do anything by yourself."
Building on its experience with Katrina, FMCNA has committed to
improving future emergency response and has taken a number of
steps, including additional investments in standby resources that
can be deployed anywhere in the country, creating a Regional
Disaster Preparedness Manual that provides resources for each
region, and supporting legislation that allows nurses to work in
multiple states.
"Our disaster response approach is comprehensive. In addition to
caring for patients, we deploy essential resources such as
food, water, fuel and shelter to staff and others in the affected
areas to help them get through the crisis," said William Valle, executive vice president of FMCNA
and president of Fresenius Medical Services. "It is gratifying to
hear from patients and learn that in ways both big and small we
were able to be of service during that difficult time. It's also
what inspires our ongoing commitment and investment into our
disaster and emergency preparedness program."
The Fresenius Medical Care Incident Command Team, consisting of
divisional, technical and regional employees, has years of
experience working with local governments and community
organizations to prepare for and respond to various disasters, from
hurricanes and tornadoes to floods and ice storms. By setting up an
Emergency Hotline and coordinating with its Fresenius Medical Care
Renal Therapies Group, TruBlue Logistics and Fresenius Vascular
Care businesses, the company provides patients with dialysis
equipment, medicine and supplies, vascular care and critical
information so dialysis patients know how to access vital
treatments even in times of crisis.
Because of these and other initiatives, the company has been
recognized by FEMA and the International Association of Emergency
Managers (IAEM), which gave FMCNA its 2010 IAEM-USA Business & Industry Preparedness
Award.
To learn more about how our efforts helped patients during
Katrina and other natural disasters around the country, please
visit www.freseniusmedicalcare.us.
About Fresenius Medical Care North America
Fresenius
Medical Care North America is the premier health care company
focused on delivering the highest-quality care to people with renal
and other chronic conditions. Through its industry-leading network
of dialysis facilities, outpatient cardiac and vascular labs and
urgent care centers, as well as the country's largest practice of
hospitals and post-acute providers, Fresenius Medical Care provides
coordinated health care services at pivotal care points for
hundreds of thousands of chronically ill customers throughout the
continent. As the world's only vertically integrated renal company,
it offers specialty pharmacy and laboratory services, and
manufactures and distributes the most comprehensive line of
dialysis equipment, disposable products and renal pharmaceuticals.
For more information, visit the FMCNA website at
www.freseniusmedicalcare.us.
Media Contact:
Fresenius Medical Care
Jon Stone, 781-699-9704
(C) 781-392-4680
Jonathan.d.stone@fmc-na.com
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SOURCE Fresenius Medical Care North America