DENVER, Nov 09, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- 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 its wholly owned European subsidiary, DV Care GmbH, has acquired ExtraCorp AG, a German company that owns two dialysis centers and manages two additional dialysis centers in Germany. This transaction represents DaVita's initial entry on the European continent and another step in DaVita's global expansion strategy.

As a result of the acquisition, DaVita's European subsidiary now owns and operates two dialysis centers located in Salzgitter and Seesen and manages two dialysis centers located in Dresden and Freital. Each centerwill provide a range of dialysis services in each center, primarily focused on in-center hemodialysis.

"DaVita and DV Care are committed to continuing the same high-level of care to end-stage renal disease patients in Germany. Additionally, these four clinics are an ideal platform for our European expansion efforts," said Bjorn Englund, DaVita's managing director for Europe. "ExtraCorp has paved the way for us by delivering outstanding care for its patients at these facilities, and we look forward to building on this momentum."

In July of this year DaVita announced the appointment of Englund as the head of European operations and Atul Mathur as the leader of Asia-Pacific operations, but its international expansion efforts began more than a year prior. DaVita executives have been in every major country in Europe and Asia evaluating markets and identifying suitable opportunities for partnership and acquisition.

A key advantage for DaVita is the strength of its reputation overseas. Providers are well aware of DaVita's leadership in the area of clinical outcomes, as well as its teammate training and development expertise. This reputational awareness has opened doors that previously had been closed to many other American companies.

Outside of the United States, DaVita currently is providing dialysis services in Singapore and Bangalore, India, and has an agreement to develop and operate dialysis clinics in Malaysia.

"The time is right for DaVita to extend to Europe and Asia," said DaVita Chairman and CEO Kent Thiry. "Our patient-centric care model is being well received on both continents."

DaVita is a registered U.S. 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. 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, 2011, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 1,777 dialysis facilities, serving approximately 138,000 patients. 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

DaVita
Media:
Vince Hancock, 303-405-2272
Vince.hancock@davita.com