DaVita, Inc., one of the nation's leading providers of kidney care services, recognized seven outstanding nephrology practices and their doctors at its Physician Leadership Meeting, where over 700 DaVita-affiliated nephrologists were in attendance.

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Six doctors were awarded the "Shining Star Physician" for their commitment to DaVita's mission and values by demonstrating excellent clinical outcomes, providing individualized care to all their patients, and being attentive partners in each of their practices. Two practices were awarded the "Spirit of Partnership" for leveraging the resources of and partnership with DaVita to enhance care provided to patients.

"Shining Star and Spirit of Partnership recipients exemplify DaVita's commitment to providing superior clinical care and a personalized experience," said Kent Thiry, CEO of DaVita. "They are truly citizens of what we call the DaVita Village, and we are proud to be associated with individuals dedicated to providing the highest quality care for patients."

This year's Shining Star Physician award recipients were Dr. Kamal Ahmed of Yuma, Ariz.; Dr. John Conrey of Ft. Meyers, Fla.; Dr. David Mahoney of Fairfax, Va.; Dr. Ben Magnus-Lawson of Houston, Tex.; and Drs. Jim McCabe and George Thomas of Wilmington, N.C. These awardees are also actively engaged in their communities, participating in center events and programs as well as being politically active on behalf of the kidney care community in their hometowns and in Washington, D.C.

The Spirit of Partnership award recipients are involved in measures and programs such as Lifeline Vascular Access centers and the Tour DaVita, a 230-mile bike ride to raise money for chronic kidney disease patients. This year's winners of the Spirit of Partnership awards were Kidney & Hypertension Centers in Cincinnati, Ohio, and San Antonio Kidney Disease Centers in San Antonio, Tex.

About DaVita, Inc.

DaVita, Inc., a FORTUNE 500® company, is a leading provider of dialysis services in the United States, providing dialysis services for patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita manages over 1,300 outpatient facilities and acute units in over 700 hospitals located in 43 states and the District of Columbia, serving more than 103,000 patients. For more information please visit http://www.davita.com/.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: LeAnne.Zumwalt@davita.com

SOURCE: DaVita, Inc.