DaVita Inc. , a leading provider of kidney care services for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), is leading Colorado in promoting the well-being and health of patients requiring hemodialysis by increasing the use of arterial venous fistulas (AVFs) and decreasing their risks of complications.

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The Fistula First Breakthrough Initiative - or the National Vascular Access Improvement Initiative - is a nationwide campaign to increase the use of AVFs in dialysis patients, which are believed to reduce infections and improve clinical outcomes. The Fistula First initiative was launched July 1, 2003 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) along with the 18 End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Networks and the Institute of Healthcare Quality (IHI).

The Fistula First mission is to make sure that every eligible ESRD or CKD patient receives his/her optimal form of vascular access (in the majority of cases, AVF) for hemodialysis treatment and to avoid complications through appropriate monitoring and intervention.

Fistula First's goal was for hemodialysis facilities in each network to attain a prevalent AVF use rate of 66 percent by June 2009. Newly released data from the ESRD networks shows that 21 DaVita facilities in Colorado achieved the recommended AVF use rate, accounting for two-thirds of the facilities that reached the goal. DaVita also accounted for three-quarters of the top 20 facilities in Colorado that attained the target AVF use rate.

Of the approximately 275 dialysis facilities in the Intermountain ESRD Network -- including Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming - just 79 of all facilities achieved the target AVF, yet DaVita facilities accounted for 37 of those.

This achievement is especially significant because DaVita serves more than 1-in-4 dialysis patients in America. The data is also noteworthy because fistula use is one of CMS' Clinical Performance Measures (CPMs) or national evidence-based performance standards of quality. With its commitment to follow these measures and strive for excellence, DaVita's clinical outcomes are consistently superior in the industry.

"At DaVita, our highest priority is optimizing the health of the more than 116,000 patients cared for by our professional partners and teammates," said Allen R. Nissenson, Chief Medical Officer of DaVita. "We're pleased that this commitment has once again been validated by CMS's Fistula First findings."

DaVita clinics in the following cities that attained the target AVF use include - Arvada, Aurora, Boulder, Brighton, Commerce City, Cortez, Denver, Durango, Englewood, Lakewood, Longmont, Thornton, and Westminster.

DaVita is a registered trademark of DaVita Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About DaVita Inc.

DaVita Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company, is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, providing dialysis services and education for patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita has been recognized as the only FORTUNE 500 company on WorldBlu's annual List of Most Democratic Workplaces™. As of June 30, 2009, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 1,493 outpatient dialysis facilities and acute units in approximately 700 hospitals located in 43 states and the District of Columbia, serving approximately 116,000 patients. As part of DaVita's commitment to building a healthy, caring community, DaVita develops, participates in and donates to numerous programs dedicated to transforming communities and creating positive, sustainable change for children, families and our environment. For more information about DaVita, its kidney education materials and its community programs, please visit www.davita.com.

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SOURCE: DaVita Inc.