DENVER, June 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. (NYSE: DVA), one of the nation's largest and most innovative health care communities, is celebrating the anniversary of its teammate-chosen name "DaVita," which in Italian means "giving life."

Asking teammates to contribute to culture-shaping decisions has led to DaVita Kidney Care continuously holding a coveted place on The WorldBlu List of Most Democratic Workplaces™. In fact, it is the only Fortune 500™ company to have appeared on the list for the past eight years.

"Active leadership is demonstrated across the Village," said Javier Rodriguez, CEO for DaVita Kidney Care. "It started with the democratic foundation of our name and carries throughout our communities as our teammates lead around the world."

For example, teammates voted on numerous aspects of their work environment, including the design of the headquarters building façade, its top-floor marketplace, desk chairs, and office and cubicle arrangements.

Additionally, the four interior "seasonal gardens" inside the building reflect the seasonal colors, textures, plantings and activities of Colorado. Every floor also features a "Zen room," where teammates can find a secluded, relaxing place to work, if necessary.

Company leadership helps create an intentional, democracy-driven culture that is distinctive in corporate America and has received recognition from numerous third parties. Aside from WorldBlu, DaVita Kidney Care was recognized recently by The Denver Post as a 2015 Top Workplace for the fourth consecutive year since the company moved to Denver.

"We strive to create a place where talented people can grow professionally and personally and one where everyone's voice can be heard," said Kent Thiry, co-chairman and CEO of DaVita HealthCare Partners.

Tangible success of DaVita's unwavering commitment to patients can be seen in DaVita Kidney Care's performance in the Five-Star Rating system, recently released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. The company outperformed the industry average by 138 percent.

About DaVita Kidney Care
DaVita Kidney Care is a 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 dialysis services in the United States, DaVita Kidney Care treats patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita Kidney Care 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 March 31, 2015, DaVita Kidney Care operated or provided administrative services at 2,197 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately 174,000 patients. The company also operated 93 outpatient dialysis centers located in 10 countries outside the United States. DaVita Kidney Care 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.

Contact Information
Media:
David Gilles
303-876-7497
David.Gilles@DaVita.com

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SOURCE DaVita Kidney Care