EIGHT NEW AREA DIALYSIS CENTERS OFFER FULL RANGE OF KIDNEY CARE INCLUDING MARYLAND’S ONLY DEDICATED CENTER FOR TREATING CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE
BALTIMORE, MD. – Dec. 22, 2016 – People with kidney failure in Baltimore and the surrounding area can now access dialysis treatments and a full spectrum of enhanced kidney care services at eight new care centers, all through a collaboration between Fresenius Kidney Care and The Johns Hopkins Hospital. With convenient locations in Baltimore, Dundalk and Lutherville-Timonium, the collaboration also includes Maryland’s only center dedicated to treating children with chronic kidney disease.
“These new facilities have features that will enhance our patients’ dialysis experience,” said Bill Valle, executive vice president of Fresenius Medical Care North America and president of Fresenius Kidney Care. “Our vision behind these centers aligns the values we share with The Johns Hopkins Hospital to improve the quality of life of every patient, every day. We are excited to join forces with one of the leading and preeminent institutions in the United States in our effort to empower patients throughout their individual journeys so they can continue living life, doing what is important to them and thriving.”
Fresenius Kidney Care is the nation’s premier network of dialysis facilities and is a business unit of Fresenius Medical Care North America, the nation’s leading provider of integrated renal care services. The new centers feature state-of-the-art offerings including overnight dialysis, individual media systems and heated, reclining massage chairs to enhance the patient experience.
The new facilities are part of the network that achieved the country’s largest number of top-rated Five-Star dialysis centers, based on the Dialysis Facility Compare Five-Star Quality Rating System issued by the federal government’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Fresenius Kidney Care’s latest Five-Star rating builds on a track record of success. Each year since 2006, the company has helped patients live longer and spend less time in the hospital, improving mortality rates of its dialysis patients and lowering the average time spent in a hospital setting by two-and-a-half days.
The Johns Hopkins Hospital physicians will oversee the management of the centers’ medical operations. Dr. Paul Scheel, division chief of the nephrology department at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and vice president of the Johns Hopkins Physicians, will work alongside the medical directors of the new hemodialysis facilities.
“Chronic kidney disease is a considerable, but unrecognized health issue in this country,” said Dr. Scheel. “We are pleased to be a part of this initiative, dedicated to providing optimal dialysis services to our patients.”
An outpatient pediatric hemodialysis unit will be located at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, the only dialysis center in the state of Maryland dedicated to treating children with chronic kidney disease. The center, located at 1800 Orleans Street, will also have an area dedicated to serving patients receiving in-center dialysis and another for people who are on home dialysis.
The other seven dialysis centers are:
- Fresenius Kidney Care Caroline Street, 409 North Caroline Street, Baltimore
- Fresenius Kidney Care Fleet Street, 3700 Fleet Street, Baltimore
- Fresenius Kidney Care Dundalk, 1732 Merritt Boulevard, Dundalk
- Fresenius Kidney Care Lutheran Greenspring Drive, 1940 Greenspring Drive, Lutherville-Timonium
- Fresenius Kidney Care Nashua Court, 3 Nashua Court, Baltimore
- Fresenius Kidney Care Broadway Street, 1900 North Broadway, Baltimore
- Fresenius Kidney Care Eastern Avenue, 4940 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore
Dialysis is a medical treatment for individuals with kidney failure and end stage renal disease that uses sophisticated medical machines to replace many of the kidney’s essential functions required for survival. The dialysis process filters harmful wastes, salt and excess fluid from an individual’s blood, restoring a normal, healthy balance. The majority of patients receive treatment at a dialysis center three times a week, with each session lasting approximately four hours. Today, more than 450,000 people in the United States are on dialysis.
Fresenius Kidney Care, a division of Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA), provides dialysis treatment and services to nearly 200,000 people with kidney disease at more than 2,200 facilities nationwide. Fresenius Kidney Care supports people by helping to address both the physical and emotional aspects of kidney disease through personalized care, education and lifestyle support services so they can lead meaningful and fulfilling lives.
Fresenius Kidney Care patients have access to FMCNA’s integrated network of kidney care services ranging from cardiology and vascular care to pharmacy and lab services as well as urgent care centers and the country’s largest practice of hospitalist and post-acute providers.
As a leader in renal care technology, innovation and clinical research, FMCNA’s more than 67,000 employees are dedicated to the mission of delivering superior care that improves the quality of life for people with kidney disease. For more information about Fresenius Kidney Care, visit www.freseniuskidneycare.com, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/FreseniusKidneyCare and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/FreseniusKC.
About Fresenius Medical Care North America
Fresenius Medical Care North America is the premier health care company focused on providing the highest quality care to people with renal and other chronic conditions. Through its industry-leading network of dialysis centers, outpatient cardiac and vascular labs and urgent care centers, as well as the continent’s largest practice of hospitalist and post-acute providers, Fresenius Medical Care North America provides coordinated health care services at pivotal care points for hundreds of thousands of chronically ill customers.
As the world’s largest fully vertically integrated renal company, it offers specialty pharmacy and laboratory services, and manufactures and distributes the most comprehensive line of dialysis equipment, disposable products and renal pharmaceuticals. For more information, visit www.FMCNA.com.
Media Contact:
Fresenius Kidney Care
Kate Dobbs
781-699-9039
katherine.dobbs@fmc-na.com
