DaVita Clinical Research to Present Clinical Quality Results at the National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meeting

DALLAS, March 25, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- DaVita Clinical Research (DCR), a specialty contract research organization with services spanning the full spectrum of drug and device development and subsidiary of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., today announced that company representatives will present health-related quality posters at National Kidney Foundation's (NKF) 2015 Spring Clinical Meeting (SCM), which takes place March 25-29, 2015 in Dallas.

DaVita Kidney Care, the kidney care division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., and DCR are committed to improving patient care and experience through real-world pilots that may enhance clinical outcomes.

The results shared by DaVita Kidney Care and DCR representatives at NKF SCM highlight innovative clinical quality programs focused on the following:

• Improving the patient experience for individuals on dialysis
• Decreasing hospitalizations, readmissions and other complications associated with missing dialysis treatment
• Empowering patients to actively manage their kidney disease through education

NKF SCM is a platform for the nation's kidney care providers to learn about new developments related to all aspects of nephrology. Over the last several years, DCR has contributed to advancing the practice of nephrology by presenting numerous original research findings at the annual NKF SCM.

"Innovative clinical programs are critical to improving care for complex patient populations like those with kidney disease," said Steven Brunelli, M.D., vice president of health economics and outcomes research for DCR. "The work we present at NKF's Spring Clinical Meeting highlights the benefits of incorporating research methods into the design of pilot programs so that the effectiveness of such programs can be evaluated rigorously and contribute substantively to the practice of evidence based medicine."

Outcomes from the following DCR and DaVita Kidney Care clinical quality initiatives will be shared during the poster session on Thursday, March 26, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.:

• Engaging patients in a social work-based program to help prevent missed dialysis treatments, decrease incidence of depression and increase overall quality of life through the poster "Symptom Targeted Intervention Decreased Missed Treatments In Hemodialysis Patients," presented by Shaun Boyd, LCSW, social worker for DaVita Kidney Care, poster 318
• Introducing a new opportunity to educate patients on how to maintain a healthy kidney diet by teaching them during dialysis treatment through the poster "Dietitians' Opinions Are Changing On Food Consumption At Treatment," presented by Maria Stasios, RDN, CSR, LDN, manager of nutrition services for DaVita Kidney Care, poster 302

DCR seeks to advance the future of medicine, the practice of medicine and to innovate through personalized medicine. DCR and DaVita Kidney Care share a dedication to improving the health and quality of life for kidney care patients.

Through research and innovative clinical initiatives, DaVita Kidney Care has continuously improved clinical outcomes for patients each year since 2000. Recently, the company's dialysis centers were ranked in Centers for Medicare and Medicaid's (CMS) Five-Star Rating System, along with all other kidney care providers across the nation. It was reported that in the new rating system, DaVita Kidney Care centers account for 50 percent of the four- and five-star centers. Individuals can learn more at davita.com/five-star.

DaVita Clinical Research and DCR are trademarks or registered trademarks of DaVita Healthcare Partners Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About DaVita HealthCare Partners
DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., a Fortune 500® company, is the parent company of DaVita Kidney Care and HealthCare Partners. 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 Dec. 31, 2014, DaVita Kidney Care operated or provided administrative services at 2,179 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately 173,000 patients. The company also operated 91 outpatient dialysis centers located in 10 countries outside the United States. HealthCare Partners manages and operates medical groups and affiliated physician networks in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Florida in its pursuit to deliver excellent-quality health care in a dignified and compassionate manner. As of Dec. 31, 2014, HealthCare Partners provided integrated care management for approximately 837,000 patients. For more information, please visit DaVitaHealthCarePartners.com.

About DaVita Clinical Research
DaVita Clinical Research (DCR), a wholly owned subsidiary of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., uses its extensive, applied database and real-world health care experience to assist pharmaceutical and medical device companies in the design, recruitment, and completion of clinical trials including retrospective and prospective pragmatic trials. DCR's scientific and clinical expertise spans the lifecycle of product development with more than 150 client companies. DCR's Biorepository, Early Clinical Research unit (Phase I-IIa) and Late Phase Clinical Research (Phase IIb through post-marketing) network of physicians and investigative sites, data research, Health Economics & Outcomes Research, Central Laboratory, 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 davitaclinicalresearch.com.

Contact Information
Media:
Bianca Violante
Office: (303) 876-6614
Mobile: (443) 417-6044
[email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140212/DC63568LOGO

SOURCE DaVita Clinical Research