DaVita Advises Dialysis Patients to Prepare for Winter Weather

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 19, 2013-- DaVita®, a division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc.(NYSE: DVA) and a leading provider of kidney care services, today announced important emergency preparedness information for dialysis patients during the winter season. DaVita is reminding patients and their families to prepare for weather-related emergencies by creating medication and emergency diet kits.

“Dialysis is quite simply a life-sustaining treatment, and a weather-related emergency can negatively impact a patient’s ability to receive that treatment,” said Shaun Collard, vice president of clinical operations at DaVita and member of the DaVita Village Emergency Response Team, DaVERT. “But there are several steps patients can take to make sure that in an emergency situation they can receive the treatment they need, or at the very least, lessen the impact of missing a dialysis session.”

Dialysis patients require treatments at least three times per week and are at high risk during natural disasters and weather-related emergencies. DaVita recommends patients create an easily accessible emergency kit that includes the following:

Emergency phone numbers for doctors and their dialysis center, as well as another nearby dialysis center;
At least three days worth of medications with a list of the dosage amounts;
Clean water, food and a can opener;
First aid supplies;
A battery-operated flashlight and radio; and
If diabetic, a week’s worth of related medical supplies.

For short-term emergencies such as snow and ice buildup, patients should follow their regular diet closely for one to two days. When a widespread emergency or disaster happens, patients are encouraged to begin a three-day emergency diet immediately to limit the amount of fluid and waste their body accumulates. DaVita also recommends that patients keep a copy of the diet with emergency supplies as a guide.

Visit DaVita.com to see the full three-day emergency diet and additional emergency preparedness information, including:

For additional questions, or for assistance during a weather-related event, call DaVita Guest Services at 1-800-400-8331.

[Important note: the foregoing is provided only as a reminder and a courtesy to dialysis patients. It is not intended as medical advice or emergency preparedness for the patients’ specific geographic area. Dialysis patients should also consult with their physician and other care providers to prepare for their own personal emergency medical needs and refer to their city or town websites or other local resources for emergency preparedness particular to their area.]

DaVita and DaVita HealthCare PartnersSM are registered trademarks or service marks of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc.

About DaVita

DaVita is the dialysis 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 kidney care in the United States, DaVita delivers dialysis services to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita 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 Sept. 30, 2013, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 2,042 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately 166,000 patients. The company also operated 66 outpatient dialysis centers located in 10 countries outside the United States. DaVita 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.

Source: DaVita

DaVita
Vince Hancock, 303-876-6618
vince.hancock@davita.com