Dialyze Direct to Provide Staff-Assisted Home Dialysis Services in HCR ManorCare Skilled Nursing Facilities

BROOKLYN, N.Y., May 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Dialyze Direct, LLC, a leader in patient-focused treatment modalities to improve quality of life for people suffering from kidney disease, has entered into a national cooperation agreement with HCR ManorCare, the nation's leading not-for-profit provider of short and long-term skilled nursing and rehabilitation services. Dialyze Direct will provide staff-assisted in-home hemodialysis services at HCR ManorCare's ManorCare Health Services skilled nursing facilities (SNF) across multiple states.

At each participating SNF, Dialyze Direct will facilitate comprehensive, turn-key dialysis solutions that will allow patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) to receive patient-centric dialysis treatments without leaving the facility. Dialyze Direct's highly-trained team of physicians, nurses, technicians, renal dietitians and social workers will implement a personalized plan of care in coordination with ManorCare's skilled nursing and rehab care team. Dialyze Direct staff will perform and manage the complete treatment process and provide all necessary support staff.  Additionally, Dialyze Direct will provide ongoing training and education to ManorCare's staff on best care practices for dialysis patients' pre and post-dialysis treatment.

"Our world renowned nephrology leadership team deploys the most advanced home dialysis technology to provide treatment that addresses the specific needs of elderly patients, SNFs, hospitals and payors. Dialyze Direct's patient-centric model of care focuses on significantly improving complex co-morbidities, and provides the best chance to reduce re-hospitilizations," said Josh Rothenberg, Chief Operating Officer of Dialyze Direct. "Partnering with ManorCare enables us to extend our compassionate care model to a wider audience, helping patients improve their quality of life while also lessening the overall cost burden on the healthcare ecosystem."

Traditional dialysis service requires SNF patients to leave their facility three times a week for hours at a time, disrupting their day-to-day care, meals and rehabilitation plans. Under Dialyze Direct's care model, ManorCare patients will receive in-home treatment up to five times a week (pursuant to a physicians' order) at their skilled nursing facility, for approximately two and a half hours. Recovery time for Dialyze Direct's in-home dialysis treatment is typically around 30 to 60 minutes versus eight to nine hours for traditional dialysis, which can escalate to an average of 21 hours for elderly patients¹. Shorter, more frequent dialysis more closely mimics the operation of healthy kidneys and keeps the amount of toxins and water build-up in the blood to a minimum.

"For end-stage renal disease patients, dialysis is a life-saving, yet incredibly taxing, medical treatment. With Dialyze Direct's in-home hemodialysis services, we are looking to change that for residents in our skilled nursing facilities," said Rami Ubaydi, Vice President and General Manager for HCR ManorCare. "By eliminating the travel time, logistics, and cost associated with transporting patients to outpatient facilities, while simultaneously improving the quality of dialysis care provided to our patients, our skilled nursing  staff will be able to focus on providing quality care and allow our patients to continue their normal social and medical activities."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 30 million people in the United States (15% of the US population) have chronic kidney disease (CKD), and kidney disease is the ninth leading cause of death in the United States.²  End-stage renal disease (ESRD), also called kidney failure, is the last stage of CKD. With ESRD, the kidneys are no longer able to filter wastes and excess fluid from the body, causing toxic levels of fluid, electrolytes and wastes to build up in the blood, which makes dialysis or a kidney transplant necessary. According to the United States Renal Data System (USRDS), more than 726,000 people in the United States are being treated for ESRD, approximately 509,000 of which are receiving dialysis, numbers which are on the rise. The annual Medicare spending to treat ESRD in the U.S. is approximately $35 billion.³ 

About HCR ManorCare
ManorCare Health Services centers are part of HCR ManorCare, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ProMedica, a mission-based, not-for-profit integrated healthcare organization which includes a network of 13 hospitals, 2,600 physicians, a health plan, 400 skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers, memory care communities, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, home health and hospice agencies. Driven by its Mission to improve health and well-being, ProMedica has been nationally recognized for its advocacy programs and efforts to address social determinants of health. For more information about HCR ManorCare, please visit www.hcr-manorcare.com.

About Dialyze Direct
Dialyze Direct is a leading kidney care innovation company, pioneering breakthrough solutions for patients suffering from kidney disease. Dialyze Direct has created a dialysis model resulting in significantly improved patient outcomes and quality of life while substantially decreasing costs for payors. With a mission to build the next generation of kidney care, Dialyze Direct works with the world's leading nephrology talent to develop new methods and technology to evolve the treatment options nephrologists have at their disposal. Dialyze Direct has launched operations in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, and is in the final stage of launching operations in an additional five states.

¹ Jaber, B. L., MD, MS, & Lee, Y., MS., et al. (2010). Effect of Daily Hemodialysis on Depressive Symptoms and Postdialysis Recovery Time: Interim Report From the FREEDOM Study (pp. 531-539, Rep.). American Journal of Kidney Diseases.
² "National Chronic Kidney Disease Fact Sheet, 2017" Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/kidney_factsheet.pdf. Accessed on 5/9/2019. 
³ United States Renal Data System. 2018 USRDS annual data report: Epidemiology of kidney disease in the United States. National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD, 2018.

SOURCE Dialyze Direct, LLC