DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 6, 2012-- DaVita®, a division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc.(NYSE: DVA) and a leading provider of kidney care services, announced holiday travel tips for dialysis patients.

"We want dialysis patients to know that traveling around the holidays doesn't have to be scary or intimidating and that DaVita teammates are here to help," said MaryCatherine Graves, director ofGuest Services at DaVita. "In fact, in 2011 our Guest Services team helped more than 50,000 people plan dialysis treatments for personal and business travel in the United States and abroad."

As holiday travel increases, DaVita offers the following travel tips for dialysis patients who dialyze in-center, at home and with peritoneal dialysis.

1. Talk to your doctor, nurse and social worker to let them know about your plans. They will be able to give you important information for your trip. Write down any questions or concerns you may have prior to your conversation.

2. Call your insurance carrier to find out what expenses are covered. Insurance consultations are available at no charge from DaVita insurance specialists. You can request an insurance consultation online or call DaVita Guest Services at 1-800-244-0680.

3. Locate a dialysis center close to your hotel or vacation home. Whether you dialyze in-center, at home or with peritoneal dialysis, you should locate a dialysis center in the city you are visiting. It is very important to know where to go in case you need help or forget something.

4. Pack your medical information in your carry-on luggage and bring it with you to dialysis.You, your nurse or social worker may fax your dialysis records to the visiting DaVita center ahead of time. Most dialysis centers will need information about your health, including your medical records and recent lab reports; an EKG and chest x-ray; your dialysis prescription; recent treatment records; dialysis access type; insurance information; a list of the medications you take; and your local phone number and contact information in the city you are visiting.

5. Bring along extra medication in case you get delayed while traveling.

The DaVita Guest Services team provides dialysis-related travel assistance to both DaVita and non-DaVita dialysis patients at no cost. Patients can contact a DaVita Guest Services specialist for dialysis-related travel assistance at 1-800-244-0680 or by visiting DaVita.com/travel for more information.

DaVita and DaVita HealthCare Partners are trademarks or registered trademarks of DaVita Healthcare Partners Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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 ofSeptember 30, 2012, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 1,912 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately 150,000 patients. The company also operated 24 outpatient dialysis centers located in five 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
Ginger Pelz, 303-876-6611
Ginger.Pelz@DaVita.com