FMCNA ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR KIDNEY SCHOOL | FMCNA
Leading Dialysis Provider Pledges $40,000 to Kidney School
WALTHAM, Mass. March 8, 2018 – Fresenius Medical North America (FMCNA), the nation’s leading renal care company, is making a $40,000 contribution to Kidney School, the world’s largest education program for people with chronic kidney disease. FMCNA’s support will help Kidney School expand its services that help people manage and live with the disease.
The Medical Education Institute (MEI), a nonprofit organization that helps people with chronic diseases, launched Kidney School in 2002 to provide free comprehensive online programs for chronic kidney disease patients and their families and caretakers. The program, recommended by dialysis professionals across the U.S., provides up-to-date research-based information and advice on what to expect when preparing for and undergoing dialysis, and the right questions to ask while managing chronic kidney disease.
With FMCNA’s sponsorship, MEI hopes to expand the program with new education modules to help patients and families manage other aspects of chronic kidney disease.
“We are proud to initiate our relationship with the Kidney School,” said Jessie Newman, director of community relations at FMCNA. “As a leading dialysis provider, we are dedicated to ensuring all patients with kidney disease have access to resources that help them manage this chronic condition and empower them to take control of their health.”
Kidney School’s 16 self-tailored, educational modules are written in English and Spanish in understandable language that engages patients in improving their own health outcomes. When surveyed, 97 percent of patients said Kidney School helped them learn about kidney disease, and 95 percent said the information was useful and helped them manage the disease. A survey of kidney professionals showed that 100 percent agree that Kidney School informed patients about their treatment options and increased knowledge about chronic kidney disease and understanding of the appropriate diet.
“Patients with kidney disease and their families may need support in the middle of the night or the early hours of the morning when traditional classes are not available,” said MEI Executive Director Dori Schatell, MS. “We are delighted to partner with FMCNA to ensure accurate, free information to help people manage their kidney health 24 hours a day.”
In addition to providing resources to kidney disease patients and their families, the Kidney School also offers continuing education credits for professionals.
About Fresenius Medical Care North America
Fresenius Medical Care North America is the premier healthcare company focused on providing the highest quality care to people with renal and other chronic conditions. Through its industry-leading network of dialysis facilities, outpatient cardiac and vascular labs, and urgent care centers, as well as the country’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 throughout the continent. As the world’s largest fully 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 the FMCNA website at https://fmcna.com.
About Medical Education Institute
Founded 25 years ago in 1993, MEI is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping people with chronic diseases learn to manage and improve their health. MEI fulfills its mission by conducting research, developing evidence-based educational materials for consumers and health professionals, and advocating for patient-centered policies. MEI is funded through corporate sponsorships, fee-for-service contracts, product sales, and donations. Tax-deductible contributions can be made through MEI’s website, www.mei.org.
