DENVER, Jan 03, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

DaVita Inc. (NYSE:DVA), a leading provider of kidney care services for those diagnosed with end stage renal disease (ESRD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), today announced the appointment of Dr. Stephen McMurray as Vice President of Clinical Integrated Services who will be joining the Office of the Chief Medical Officer.

In this role, Dr. McMurray will focus on coordinating DaVita's many services to help improve the lives of DaVita's approximately 124,000 patients. A passionate advocate for an integrated approach to patient care, Dr. McMurray will be working to help prevent complications, reduce the number of avoidable hospitalizations and improve overall health.

"With more than 35 years of experience in the field of nephrology, Dr. McMurray is widely recognized for his work in developing and managing patient care programs," said Dr. Allen R. Nissenson, MD, FACP, and chief medical officer for DaVita(R). "We are confident that his outstanding record as a kidney care specialist will help DaVita continue to provide high quality care to our patients."

"My goal is to help educate patients on how to better manage their non-renal-related diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension," said Dr. McMurray, who will be primarily focused on DaVita's VillageHealth(R) programs with an emphasis on total patient care. "I look forward to identifying areas that can improve outcomes for DaVita patients with chronic kidney disease."

Dr. McMurray received his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis. He began his career at Fort Wayne Nephrology, Inc. In 1996, Dr. McMurray became a founding member of Renal Care Group (RCG) and later a formal board member. Additionally, he directed the coordination and implementation of a diabetes management program at RCG. Most recently, Dr. McMurray served as medical director for Integrated Care, North America, at Fresenius Medical Care.

DaVita and VillageHealth are registered trademarks of DaVita Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About DaVita

DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500(R) company, is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, delivering dialysis services and education to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. As of September 30, 2010, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 1,598 dialysis facilities, serving approximately 124,000 patients. DaVita develops, participates in and donates to numerous programs dedicated to transforming communities and creating positive, sustainable change for children, families and our environment. The company's leadership development initiatives and corporate social responsibility efforts have been recognized by Fortune,Modern Healthcare, Newsweek and WorldBlu, among others. For more information, please visitwww.davita.com.

SOURCE: DaVita Inc.

DaVita Inc.
Vince Hancock, 303-405-2272
Vince.Hancock@davita.com