DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 30, 2012-- DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA), a leading provider of kidney care services that is committed to improving the quality of life for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), today announced that Dr. Mark Shapiro spoke at the first-ever National Home Dialysis Summit in Washington, D.C., on Thursday.

The summit, sponsored by a wide variety of stakeholders including DaVita and hosted by honorary congressional co-chairs Tom Marino (R-Penn.), Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) and Jesse Jackson (D-Ill.), included four panel discussions:

• Education, Training and Implementation Challenges;
• The Impact of the National Reimbursement System;
• Quality Measures and Initiatives; and
• The Innovation Environment.

Shapiro, DaVita's national peritoneal dialysis advisor, shared data demonstrating that limited use of home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis options is largely a cultural phenomenon rather than the result of careful clinical decision-making. In the U.S., less than 10 percent of dialysis patients use these home options.

"Overall, patients on home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis generally have better clinical outcomes and a better quality of life," Shapiro said. "We have to do a better job of educating doctors about these options, improving the therapies and considering new techniques to introduce patients to these options early."

According to Shapiro, DaVita is investing in its home therapy programs across the country to support better clinical outcomes and to help patients maximize their quality of life through more flexible treatments.

"Even some patients who end up in the hospital for kidney failure can be started on peritoneal dialysis right away rather than in-center hemodialysis," Shapiro said. "At DaVita, we're developing new treatment strategies to help ensure that every patient - even those who come to us through an acute visit to the hospital - gets to choose the best dialysis option for them."

The National Summit on Home Dialysis Policy took place March 29, 2012, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.

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

About DaVita

DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500® company, is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, delivering dialysis services to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVitastrives 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, 2011, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 1,809 dialysis facilities in the United States, serving approximately 142,000 patients. The company also operated 11 outpatient dialysis centers located in three 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 http://www.davita.com.

Source: DaVita Inc.

Media:
DaVita Inc.
Lauren Moughon
303-405-2094
Mobile: 206-724-3826
Lauren.Moughon@davita.com