Innovations in Kidney Care
In the early days of kidney care, people with kidney disease had very few treatment options. A Dutch physician, Dr. Willem Kolff, constructed the first dialyzer in 1943. However, dialysis was not widely accessible in the U.S. until 1972, when President Nixon and Congress signed a bill extending Medicare coverage to people with end stage kidney disease (ESKD) who need dialysis or a kidney transplant. Read more about the history of dialysis here.
Today, kidney care has improved by leaps and bounds. DaVita is leading the way in kidney care innovations, working to help ensure people with kidney disease receive the treatment that’s best for them. We support patients across the entire kidney care journey, from prevention and transition to dialysis, to treatment and transplant.
Juan's Story
From patient to DaVita teammate, hear how innovations in kidney care have changed Juan’s life.
DaVita Innovation by the Numbers
people participated in a Kidney Smart® class in 2022.
DaVita patients were referred for a transplant at least once by the end of 2022.
Our goal is to have all eligible DaVita patients active on the transplant waitlist.
patients received integrated care and disease management services through DaVita® Integrated Kidney Care in 2022.
DaVita was ranked among the top 3 most innovative health care medical facilities on the 2022 FORTUNE® World’s Most Admired Companies® list.1
DaVita patients received a kidney transplant in 2022.
1From Fortune. ©2022 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license. Fortune and Fortune Media IP Limited are not affiliated with, and do not endorse the products or services of, DaVita Inc.
Prevention and Education
Education is the most powerful tool in preventing or delaying the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). In 2022, 33,600+ people participated in a Kidney Smart® class, a no-cost kidney disease education program. These classes teach people with CKD and their loved ones about:
- causes of CKD,
- CKD basics and lifestyle tips,
- kidney-friendly eating,
- insurance and employment options,
- and more.
Diet and Nutrition
Adopting kidney-friendly eating habits is one way to help slow the progression of kidney disease. DaVita’s registered dietitians have researched and developed more than 1,200 kidney-friendly recipes. There are also easy-to-use tools on DaVita.com that can help you create delicious meals and stay on track with your eating plan. Start with small steps, like trying a free Today’s Kidney Diet cookbook.
Treatment Options
Dialysis is not a one-size-fits-all treatment. Many people have different medical needs and lifestyle preferences that affect their treatment choice. DaVita aims to help patients work with their nephrologist to find the treatment option that’s best for them—whether it’s in-center hemodialysis, home dialysis (peritoneal dialysis or home hemodialysis) or transplant. Take the short Treatment Evaluator quiz to see what might be the best treatment option for you or your loved one.
Home Dialysis
For patients who prefer to dialyze at home and maintain an active lifestyle, home dialysis may be an option.* Some of the potential benefits include more time and a more flexible schedule, freedom to travel, improved clinical outcomes and a better quality of life.
In 2022, over 15% of DaVita patients dialyzed from the comfort of home. Our home dialysis care program has grown to include new technologies to enhance the patient experience. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) and home hemodialysis (HHD) patients also have access to the DaVita Care Connect® app, which makes it easier for patients to communicate with their care teams.
*Modality selections and decisions related to a patient’s care are always made by the attending nephrologist and patient, and provided pursuant to a physician’s order to a physician’s order. Data as of December 31, 2022.
Transplant
DaVita believes transplant is the ideal treatment option for all eligible patients. For transplant resources such as tips for talking with your doctor, insurance coverage, the transplant evaluation process and more, visit the DaVita.com Transplant page.
