DENVER, March 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- DaVita Kidney
Care, a division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. (NYSE: DVA) and
a leading provider of kidney care services, is encouraging people
to take a 60-second quiz to learn about their risk for chronic
kidney disease during March, National Kidney Month.
To take the quiz and access other kidney disease resources,
please visit DaVita.com/LearnYourRisk.
One in 10 adults age 20 or older in the U.S. has kidney disease,
but many may not be aware of their risk because kidney disease is
usually symptomless or dismissed as a general health issue like
stress or fatigue. When caught early enough, the progression of
kidney disease can be slowed down and, in some cases, be prevented
altogether. When kidney disease progresses to kidney failure,
or end stage renal disease, a person must start dialysis or get a
transplant to survive.
"Dialysis isn't an easy thing to go through, but end stage renal
disease isn't end stage – it's just another stage in your life,"
said Robert Gandy, executive chef
and nocturnal dialysis patient. "If I knew the risks for kidney
disease early on there's a good chance I could've stopped the
disease in its tracks. People need to learn their risk, get tested
for kidney disease and maybe they won't end up on dialysis like
me."
People at the greatest risk for kidney disease include those
with diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as older adults.
Minority populations – particularly Hispanics, African-Americans
and American Indians – are also at a disproportionately higher rate
of developing kidney disease. Additional risk factors include
people with cardiovascular disease, obesity, high cholesterol,
lupus and a family history of the disease.
According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention:
- One in three people with diabetes has kidney disease.
- One in five people with high blood pressure has kidney
disease.
- African-Americans are about three and a half times more likely
to develop kidney failure than whites.
- Hispanics are one and a half times more likely to develop
kidney failure than non-Hispanics.
For those already living with kidney disease, DaVita Kidney Care offers resources to help
manage the disease.
Specialized instructors, such as nurses and dietitians, lead
no-cost, 90-minute Kidney Smart classes where individuals can
learn:
- How to create an action plan that's personalized to your
lifestyle and will help you manage your kidney health
- What causes kidney disease and how to delay its
progression
- What diet resources are available to help you manage
your diet and cook a variety of flavorful, kidney-friendly
meals
- Why continuing to work may keep you happier and
healthier
- How insurance counselors can help you navigate coverage
or financial questions
To find a class near you, please visit KidneySmart.org.
Other resources DaVita Kidney
Care offers include:
- myDaVita – an online community designed to help you manage your
health, find support from others, and engage family and friends in
an interactive forum. Sign up at DaVita.com/JoinMyDaVita to share
stories, gain insights and make connections with others.
- DaVita Diet Helper – Taking
charge of your health through diet management is a critical way to
slow down the progression of kidney disease. In addition to
1,000-plus kidney-friendly recipes, DaVita Diet Helper™ offers a
way to track potassium, phosphorus and sodium levels. Learn more at
DaVita.com/MyDietHelper.
- Find a Nephrologist – It is
important to find the right nephrologist to help you manage your
kidney disease. Go to DaVita.com/FAD to locate a nearby
nephrologist.
- Stay Employed – Working while on dialysis can have both
physical and emotional benefits, including lower rates of
depression, fewer hospitalizations, and higher scores on general
health and vitality tests. Find out more about the benefits of
working and how to have conversations about kidney disease with
your employer at DaVita.com/WorkingBenefits.
This is the first time National Kidney Month has been celebrated
since the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released
its Five-Star ranking system, which ranks dialysis centers across
the country based on key performance measures. DaVita Kidney Care performed the best in the
industry in this initial ranking, having 50 percent of its center
with a four- or five-star rating. Additionally, based on results
from CMS' Quality Incentive Program (QIP), DaVita Kidney Care outperformed the industry in
every category with 98.5 percent of its centers being among the top
clinical performance tiers in the country.
This recognition of CMS' Five-Star and QIP results shows that
DaVita Kidney Care's quality of care
aligns with providing the resources and education for those with
chronic kidney disease and providing dialysis and integrated kidney
care services to patients with end stage renal disease.
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 170,000 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.
DaVita, DaVita HealthCare Partners, Kidney Smart and DaVita Diet
Helper are trademarks or registered trademarks of DaVita HealthCare
Partners Inc.
Contact Information
Media:
Justin Forbis
Justin.Forbis@davita.com
303.876.7496
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SOURCE DaVita Kidney Care