DENVER, May 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- DaVita Kidney Care, a division of DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA) and a leading provider of kidney care services in the United States, today announced its endorsement of the Standardised Outcomes in Nephrology (SONG) initiative, which aims to standardize outcomes in kidney care trials and research while formally incorporating the patient perspective. The goal is to help ensure research is reporting outcomes that are not only meaningful to clinicians but also to patients with kidney disease and their families. 

"The patient voice is essential to defining outcomes that reflect what is most important to them and help support their treatment decisions," said Allen R. Nissenson, M.D., FACP, chief medical officer for DaVita Kidney Care. "We're proud to endorse an initiative that balances the needs of multiple stakeholders and closes the gap between clinical practice and patient experience."

The SONG initiative is composed of a multinational team that conducts conversations with patients, their families and their care teams to create a set of core outcomes that are important from the patient's perspective. SONG uses a process to define core outcomes based on validated methodology developed by the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology initiative. This process is underpinned by the values of partnership, transparency, equity, trust, respect, evidence and diversity.

SONG is currently developing core outcomes for hemodialysis (SONG-HD), transplantation (SONG-Tx), peritoneal dialysis (SONG-PD), children and adolescents (SONG-Kids) and polycystic kidney disease (SONG-PKD).

To learn more about SONG, visit SongInitiative.org.

To learn more about kidney disease, visit DaVita.com.

About DaVita Kidney Care
DaVita Kidney Care is a division of DaVita 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, 2018, DaVita Kidney Care operated or provided administrative services at 2,539 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately 198,000 patients. The company also operated 241 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:
Ashley Henson
Ashley.Henson@DaVita.com 
303-876-6626

SOURCE DaVita Kidney Care