CHICAGO, Nov. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- DaVita Clinical Research, a specialty contract research organization with services spanning the full spectrum of drug and device development, today announced that company representatives and collaborators will present 12 abstracts at American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week in Chicago, Nov. 15-20. Attendees can meet representatives of DaVita Clinical Research and DaVita Kidney Care, the kidney care division of DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA), in booth 710.

ASN's annual Kidney Week is the world's premier nephrology meeting, bringing together more than 13,000 kidney care professionals from around the world to share and discuss new developments related to all aspects of nephrology. This year's meeting theme is "Reinventing Nephrology: From Molecule to Man" and also celebrates ASN's 50^th Anniversary.

"DaVita Clinical Research and DaVita Kidney Care are committed to improving clinical outcomes in patients with kidney disease. We invest in quality initiatives and research that improve our understanding of disease prevention and treatment," said Steven Brunelli, MD, MSCE, vice president of DaVita Clinical Research.

Researchers from DaVita Clinical Research and DaVita Kidney Care will present results from a number of large retrospective studies. The group also will present data from innovative clinical improvement programs originating from DaVita Clinical Research and its independent research partners in the academic, pharmaceutical and biotech research communities.

DaVita Clinical Research and DaVita Kidney Care representatives will share the results from the following clinical quality initiatives during the conference's poster sessions.

• "In-Center Hemodialysis Absenteeism: Prevalence and Association with Outcomes." Poster presentation by Steven M. Brunelli, MD, MSCE, on Thursday, Nov. 17 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., poster TH-PO1060.
• "Implementation of a Motivational Interviewing Program to Improve Patient Engagement within a Large Dialysis Organization." Poster presentation by Deborah Benner, MA, RD, CSR, on Thursday, Nov. 17 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., poster TH-PO760.
• "The Impact of Gender on Prescription and Use of Vascular Access in Elderly Patients on Hemodialysis: A European Hemodialysis Multicenter Analysis." Poster presentation by Andre Weigert, MD, on Thursday, Nov. 17 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., poster TH-PO1030.
• "Obesity Paradox in Hemodialysis: Could Omega 3 Be the Link?" Poster presentation by Ana Rita Martins, MD, PhD, on Thursday, Nov. 17 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., poster TH-PO740.
• "Standardized Dialysate Temperature of 36 Degrees Celsius: Association with Clinical Outcomes." Poster presentation by Kathryn Gray, MS, on Friday, Nov. 18 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., poster FR-PO939.
• "Higher End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Star Ratings Are Associated with Lower Mortality, Hospitalization and Readmission Ratios." Poster presentation by Andrea Besharat, MPH, on Friday, Nov. 18 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., poster FR-PO944.
• "Nasal Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Carriage in Hemodialysis Patients: Hospital-Based Versus Separate Dialysis Centers." Poster presentation by Werner Kleophas, MD, on Friday, Nov. 18 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., poster FR-PO995.
• "Employment and Transplant Status among End-Stage Renal Disease Patients Receiving Dialysis." Poster presentation by Deborah Evans, MA, LCSW, on Saturday, Nov. 19 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., poster SA-PO370.
• "Achievement of Renal Anemia KDIGO Targets by Two Different Strategies - A European Hemodialysis Multicenter Analysis." Poster presentation by Maciej Drozdz, MD, PhD on Saturday, Nov. 19 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., poster SA-PO1023.

In addition, findings from the following research studies will be presented.

• "Phosphorus Control and Pill Burden among In-Center Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Patients Converting to Sucroferric Oxyhydroxide." Poster presentation by Kathryn Gray, MS, on Friday, Nov. 18 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., poster FR-PO424
• "Serum Potassium and Clinical Outcomes among Hemodialysis Patients: Impact of the Long Interdialytic Interval." Poster presentation by Steven M. Brunelli, MD, MSCE, on Friday, Nov. 18 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., poster FR-PO974.
• "Optimal Outcomes with Targeted Chronic Kidney Disease Management." Oral presentation by Todd Prewitt, MD, on Friday, Nov. 18 at 4.54 p.m., presentation FR-OR077 in the "Patient-Centered Outcomes with Maintenance Dialysis" oral abstract session to be held in room W185.

Attendees who visit DaVita Kidney Care's booth at ASN will hear from clinical leaders in nephrology, including DaVita Kidney Care Chief Medical Officer Allen Nissenson, MD, FACP, FASN; Chief Medical Officer for DaVita Kidney Care in Saudi Arabia Abdulkareem Alsuwaida, MD, FRCPC, MSc; Vice President of Clinical Affairs for Home Dialysis Martin Schreiber, MD; Vice President of Medical Affairs Robert Provenzano, MD, FACP, FASN; Vice President of Clinical Integrated Care Management Services Stephen McMurray, MD, FASN; and Chief Medical Director for DaVita Kidney Care in EMEA Maciej Drożdż, MD, PhD.

DaVita Kidney Care's ASN booth schedule can be found online at DaVita.com/Physicians/ASN. Attendees are encouraged to follow along with the conversation on Twitter via hashtag #KidneyWk.

About DaVita Clinical Research
DaVita Clinical Research (DCR), a wholly owned subsidiary of DaVita Inc., uses its extensive, applied database and real-world healthcare experience to assist pharmaceutical and medical device companies in the design, recruitment and completion of retrospective, prospective and pragmatic clinical trials. DCR's scientific and clinical expertise spans the lifecycle of product development with more than 175 client companies. DCR's Early Clinical Research unit (Phase I-IIa) and Late Phase Clinical Research (Phase IIb through post-marketing) network of physicians and investigative sites, Real-World Healthcare Data and Medical Communications are focused on providing world-class research in both complex/specialty populations and therapeutic areas and especially in CKD and ESRD populations. To learn more about DCR, visit www.davitaclinicalresearch.com.

About DaVita Inc.
DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500® company, is the parent company of DaVita Kidney Care and HealthCare Partners, a DaVita Medical Group. DaVita Kidney Care 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. As of September 30, 2016, DaVita Kidney Care operated or provided administrative services at 2,318 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately 186,000 patients. The company also operated 139 outpatient dialysis centers located in 11 countries outside the United States. HealthCare Partners manages and operates medical groups and affiliated physician networks in California, Nevada, New Mexico, Florida, Colorado and Washington in its pursuit to deliver excellent-quality health care in a dignified and compassionate manner. As of September 30, 2016 HealthCare Partners provided integrated care management for approximately 750,000 patients. For more information, please visit DaVita.com/about.

DaVita Kidney Care, DaVita Clinical Research and DCR are trademarks or registered trademarks of DaVita Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Contact Information
Media:
Kate Wilson Stabrawa   
DaVita Clinical Research Media Relations
Office: (303) 876-7527
Kate.Stabrawa@DaVita.com

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SOURCE DaVita Inc.