BROOKLYN, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dialyze Direct, the nation’s leading provider of home dialysis services in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), and Northeast Georgia Health Ventures (NGHV), a part of Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) – which serves more than one million patients across the state of Georgia through five hospitals as well as a variety of long-term care facilities and outpatient locations – announced today that they have entered into a strategic partnership to bring Dialyze Direct’s unique model of dialysis care to SNF patients in the state of Georgia.
NGHV will work with Dialyze Direct to expand its patient-centric onsite home hemodialysis services to patients in Georgia SNFs, both within NGHS as well as the health system’s wider network of SNF relationships. Dialysis patients in Georgia will benefit greatly from this partnership as Dialyze Direct’s staff-assisted, gentler, more frequent dialysis regimen (pursuant to a physician’s order) has been shown to provide patients with better outcomes than conventional dialysis. These outcomes include decreased mortality, fewer re-hospitalizations, reduced infections, faster dialysis recovery time (often less than 1 hour), increased participation in rehabilitation therapies, elimination of travel to outpatient centers and improved patient comfort and quality of life.
As part of the strategic partnership, NGHV will help enable Dialyze Direct’s and NGHS’s care coordination, which seeks to promote patient access to care throughout NGHS’s extensive hospital and SNF network in Georgia.
“Our new partnership with NGHS represents a joint effort to bridge the divide between hospital systems and SNFs to create a continuity of care for dialysis patients with the goal of improving their health and quality of life,” said Henry Kauftheil, CEO and Co-Founder of Dialyze Direct. “We are excited to bring our onsite dialysis offerings to Georgia and join forces with a strategic partner like NGHS with whom we share a common patient-first philosophy.”
“Dialyze Direct’s exceptional care model and innovative approach to dialysis bring a level of excellence that aligns with NGHS’ mission of improving the health of our community in all we do,” said Stuart Bracken, Managing Director of Northeast Georgia Health Ventures. “We are proud to partner with Dialyze Direct and look forward to this opportunity to raise the bar and innovate the level of care for dialysis patients across the state.”
Dialyze Direct’s continued growth and partnership with like-minded healthcare providers like NGHS has further solidified the company’s position as the foremost home hemodialysis provider to SNFs in the United States. Dialyze Direct now offers onsite dialysis services in more than 170 SNFs across 13 states, with additional expansion into Georgia and other states underway.
About Dialyze Direct
Dialyze Direct is a leading kidney care company that develops and deploys breakthrough solutions for patients suffering from kidney disease. With a mission to build the next generation of kidney care, Dialyze Direct leverages its leading nephrology specialists to develop new methods and technology to evolve treatment options and enhance outcomes for patients and partners. Dialyze Direct pioneered significant changes to the existing treatment model for dialysis patients in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), where many of the most medically challenging subsets of dialysis patients reside. The company has grown to become the nation’s largest provider of home dialysis in the SNF setting. Dialyze Direct’s innovative staff-assisted home hemodialysis treatment model entails a gentler, more personalized treatment plan comprised of meticulously crafted protocols designed to tackle the unique fluid management challenges of geriatric dialysis patients. The result is increased overall patient health and reduced hospitalizations – all while substantially decreasing costs for payers. Dialyze Direct currently operates in 13 states, with new operations launching soon in additional states. Visit https://www.dialyzedirect.com to learn more.
About Northeast Georgia Health System
Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) is a non-profit on a mission of improving the health of our community in all we do. Our team cares for more than 1 million people across the region through five hospitals and a variety of outpatient locations. Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) has campuses in Gainesville, Braselton, Winder, Dahlonega and Demorest – with a total of more than 850 beds and more than 1,300 medical staff members representing more than 60 specialties. Learn more at https://www.nghs.com/
Dialyze Direct
press@dialyzedirect.com
Northeast Georgia Health System
Alex Shimalla
Communications Specialist
770-219-3840
alex.shimalla@nghs.com
Federal officials on Wednesday updated guidance meant to improve the delivery of nursing home dialysis, a service many providers have been adding to attract new residents and improve quality of life for those who need the time-consuming treatments.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued new directions in a 21-page memo to state surveyors, who must inspect both the facilities hosting dialysis services for end-stage renal disease patients and the companies that provide equipment and should be responsible for training staff. Among the additions are stricter requirements for written agreements between dialysis providers and skilled nursing operators, to include emergency plans.
“The number of patients receiving home dialysis services in the nursing home represents a small, but growing fraction of the total population of home dialysis patients. The characteristics of this group, such as age and multiple comorbidities, increase their risk of experiencing adverse health and safety events, such as hospitalization, infection and death,” CMS noted in its memo.
“Offering home dialysis as a treatment option for nursing home residents … addresses certain disadvantages of in-center dialysis, such as transportation times and disruption of the resident’s daily activities. However, due to the dynamics of the respective care teams (i.e., nursing home and ESRD facility care teams) and the varying clinical complexities of this population, ensuring protections are in place will secure effective and safe treatments.”
Research has shown patients receiving home dialysis in nursing homes have improved clinical outcomes, improved recovery times under 2 hours, and reduced risks of infection. Providers say the approach also gives patients more time to spend in their communities socializing or receiving other needed therapies.
Jonathan Paull is general counsel and chief compliance officer for Dialyze Direct, an 8-year-old company that has become a major provider of on-site dialysis for nursing. He told McKnight’s Long-Term Care News on Wednesday that he generally supported the new standards, saying they build on CMS guidance from 2018 that “served as a tremendously helpful resource in forming standards and structures for local regulatory agencies.”
“We know these standards work, because we have been doing them since 2015,” Paull wrote in an email. “This specialty continues to grow nationwide, and as it does, it will be critical that all providers are abiding by the highest quality and safety standards. As such, we applaud CMS in refreshing this guidance with bolstered quality and safety standards, and we believe it is a win for all stakeholders in the industry.”
Of particular concern to CMS is ensuring ongoing collaboration of care between the two providers; making sure anyone who administers the dialysis treatment — including a resident who chooses to do so himself — has received adequate training; enforcing monitoring of a patient’s status before, during and after treatment; and maintaining a “safe and sanitary environment.”
The guidance outlines more specifically what to include in written agreements for the provision of care by an end-stage renal disease facility in each nursing home it serves. Those agreements, CMS said, should address clinical details including:
CMS noted that patients retain the right to administer their own treatment, but said facilities must adapt if a resident’s cognitive or physical status changes over time and makes them less capable of managing the treatment or asking for help. If a resident receives dialysis in her room and is no longer able to independently request help, for example, she should have qualified dialysis personnel remain in the room throughout the entire treatment process.
The agency also reiterated dialysis providers’ responsibility for infection control in increasingly popular “dialysis dens.”
“The ESRD facility is responsible for determining that the staff’s level of skill and availability in a nursing home is adequate and the ESRD facility is responsible to ensure that home dialysis is not provided unless the safety of the patient can be guaranteed,” the memo states.
In keeping with greater emphasis on emergency planning in nursing homes, the guidance calls for additional preparedness efforts among dialysis providers working in nursing homes. Planning requirements will be expanded to include strategy for providing back-up dialysis, managing complications, navigating equipment failure and stocking emergency supplies within partner nursing homes “to prevent any delays or interruptions to a resident’s prescribed dialysis treatment.”
The guidance advances 2018 CMS instructions to surveyors, incorporating questions and feedback from state survey agencies, the dialysis provider community and other stakeholders.
“The goal of this guidance is to enable an effective and consistent approach to evaluate the quality of care and promote improvements in performance and outcomes for the nursing home dialysis population,” CMS said.
Repurposed dialyzer membranes offer an innovative solution for water purification
in underserved communities in West Africa
Dialyze Direct, the largest provider of onsite dialysis in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), is thrilled to announce that its Chairman of the Medical Advisory Board, Dr. Nathan Levin, co-led the nonprofit organization Easy Water for Everyone in receiving second prize in the small innovative projects category of the 3rd annual Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award.
Easy Water for Everyone was recognized for its groundbreaking work in providing pure and safe drinking water to underserved rural communities in West Africa using repurposed dialysis membranes. The organization has brought clean water to 16,000 people across 35 villages in Ghana, Uganda and Senegal since its establishment in 2015. The technology they utilize, which operates independently of any electrical grid, has the capacity to produce over 50,000 liters of pure water daily.
“We are proud to support Easy Water for Everyone and its leadership, Linda Donald and Dr. Nathan Levin, in this monumental achievement of repurposing life-saving dialysis membranes to save lives through water treatment. This award is a testament to the importance of their work in providing pure water solutions to communities in Africa that are often overlooked,” said Henry Kauftheil, CEO of Dialyze Direct. “Dialyze Direct and Easy Water for Everyone share the same values. We believe in the preservation of human dignity through healthcare and preventative care, which is why we continue to support organizations like Easy Water for Everyone.”
Dr. Nathan Levin, co-founder of Easy Water for Everyone, was honored to receive the recognition, saying, “Our organization’s mission is to provide pure and safe drinking water to those in underserved rural communities, and this award helps bring attention to this important issue. I am grateful for Dialyze Direct’s support and collaboration in making this mission a reality.”
Dialyze Direct looks forward to continuing its collaboration with Easy Water for Everyone and supporting future developments as a new leader in pure water solutions in Africa. Easy Water for Everyone – Nonprofit Partner of Dialyze Direct – Wins Second Prize in Global Water Award al Kidney Month & World Kidney Day Repurposed dialyzer membranes offer an innovative solution for water purification in underserved communities in West Africa
Founded in 2015, Dialyze Direct is a leading kidney care innovation company that seeks breakthrough solutions for patients suffering from kidney disease. With a mission to build the next generation of kidney care, Dialyze Direct leverages its leading nephrology specialists to develop new methods and technology to evolve the treatment options nephrologists have at their disposal. Dialyze Direct pioneered significant changes to the existing treatment model for dialysis patients in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), in which many of the most medically challenging subsets of dialysis patients reside and has grown to become the nation’s largest provider of home dialysis in the SNF setting. Dialyze Direct’s innovative staff-assisted home hemodialysis treatment model entails a gentler, personalized treatment plan comprised of meticulously crafted protocols designed to tackle the unique fluid management challenges of geriatric dialysis patients, resulting in increased overall patient health and reduced hospitalizations while substantially decreasing costs for payors. Dialyze Direct currently operates in 14 states, with new operations launching in additional states.
Raises awareness of Onsite Dialysis in Skilled Nursing Facilities through a series of community events
During National Kidney Month and on World Kidney Day (WKD), March 9, Dialyze Direct, the nation’s largest provider of onsite dialysis in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), continues to raise awareness about the superior benefits of onsite staff-assisted dialysis care in SNFs through a series of community outreach and educational events in Missouri, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois.
Dialyze Direct’s Chief Nursing Officer Alice Hellebrand inaugurates the month with the poster presentation, What is the Future of CMS Anemia Management Standards for Post-acute Care Nursing Home Dialysis Patients, at the Annual Dialysis Conference, March 3-6 in Kansas City, MO. Hellebrand explains how more frequent dialysis (MFD), when medically appropriate, is allowing SNFs to accommodate patients with increasingly complex needs and reducing the time they spend in hospitals.
On March 15, Dialyze Direct will travel from Missouri to Illinois to join Meadowbrook Rehabilitation, an onsite dialysis partner, to co-sponsor a sold-out continuing education unit (CEU) event in Oakbrook. On March 25, Dialyze Direct’s Senior Vice President of Clinical Services Susan Markovich will present The Dialysis Dance: Medical Overview, Care Management, and Revenue Capture at another CEU event at Elmhurst Hospital. Markovich will speak about dialysis modality differences, the positive outcomes dialysis patients in SNFs are experiencing, the challenges of placing dialysis patients, and the staffing shortages that have impacted the healthcare industry. Mid-month, Dialyze Direct will march along with fellow kidney warriors at the Florida Renal Association Annual meeting and kidney walk March 12-14 in Tallahassee, FL, and the company will share the benefits of onsite dialysis in SNFs with American Case Manager Association case managers, discharge planners and the healthcare community in Ohio on March 10 and in Philadelphia on March 11.
“March’s focus on kidney health management emphasizes the importance of educating underserved markets about kidney failure options – including effective dialysis treatment with quality outcomes – ensuring patients suffering from kidney disease lead longer lives,” said Dr. Nathan Levin, Chairman of Dialyze Direct’s Medical Advisory Board. “We are proud our dialysis modality improves a process historically difficult on patients already suffering from a taxing illness. The exceptional outcomes patients experience while receiving dialysis care onsite in the Dialyze Direct dialysis dens are a direct result of collaborative, hardworking and dedicated dialysis nurses, social workers, dietitians, patient care technicians, nephrologists, and their supporting medical and executive teams.”
In addition to month-long efforts to raise awareness around kidney disease and ongoing research efforts in the United States, this month focuses attention on some of the essential medical professionals and issues in the dialysis industry. March is National Dietitian and Social Worker month, March 12 begins Patient Safety Week, March 28 is Diabetes Alert Day and March 30 is National Doctor Day.
Founded in 2015, Dialyze Direct is a leading kidney care innovation company that seeks breakthrough solutions for patients suffering from kidney disease. With a mission to build the next generation of kidney care, Dialyze Direct leverages its leading nephrology specialists to develop new methods and technology to evolve the treatment options nephrologists have at their disposal. Dialyze Direct pioneered significant changes to the existing treatment model for dialysis patients in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), in which many of the most medically challenging subsets of dialysis patients reside and has grown to become the nation’s largest provider of home dialysis in the SNF setting. Dialyze Direct’s innovative staff-assisted home hemodialysis treatment model entails a gentler, personalized treatment plan comprised of meticulously crafted protocols designed to tackle the unique fluid management challenges of geriatric dialysis patients, resulting in increased overall patient health and reduced hospitalizations while substantially decreasing costs for payors. Dialyze Direct currently operates in 14 states, with new operations launching in additional states.
The partnership enables hospitals and health systems to coordinate in-SNF dialysis treatment to help reduce readmissions and improve care for patients with end-stage kidney disease and chronic kidney disease.
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — February 6, 2023 – WellSky, a leading health and community care technology company, today announced its partnership with Dialyze Direct, the nation’s leading provider of home hemodialysis services in SNFs. To help reduce readmissions and streamline care, hospitals and health systems using WellSky’s CarePort Care Management or CarePort Discharge care transition solutions can now coordinate with Dialyze Direct the appropriate next level of care for patients requiring onsite dialysis treatment.
This partnership between WellSky and Dialyze Direct connects medical teams across the continuum by closing gaps in patient care through care coordination workflows. Utilizing WellSky’s CarePort solutions, care coordinators and case managers can simplify the discharge process to Dialyze Direct service sites and help create better patient outcomes. Together, Dialyze Direct’s innovative dialysis treatment approach and WellSky’s connected networks of 2,000 hospitals and 130,000 post-acute and community providers using CarePort solutions ensures patients needing dialysis and managed rehabilitative services can receive higher quality kidney care without leaving the SNF.
“In a significant enhancement to the current dialysis discharge process, Dialyze Direct’s collaboration with WellSky and its suite of CarePort solutions will now allow discharge planners to identify Dialyze Direct’s SNFs with onsite dialysis in a single search for purposes of ensuring an optimized and seamless discharge,” said Robert Aberman, SVP, population health of Dialyze Direct.
“Joining forces with WellSky is our next step to simplifying, improving, and creating greater efficiency for transitions into post-acute care,” said Henry Kauftheil, chairman CEO, and co-founder of Dialyze Direct. “WellSky’s suite of CarePort solutions streamlines the hospital’s patient-discharge process into our SNF-based dialysis dens, relieving an often-stressful procedure for patients and care coordinators. We look forward to deploying even more technology enhancements to our services throughout this year.”
Complications in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end stage kidney disease (ESKD) are a top reason for hospital readmissions from SNFs, leading to higher costs of care and longer recoveries. Dialyze Direct’s combined technology, onsite specially trained dialysis staff, and unique treatment regimen of gentler dialysis helps improve patient recovery times.
“We’re thrilled to partner with a cutting-edge organization like Dialyze Direct to simplify care coordination and improve patient care,” said Dr. Lissy Hu, president, connected networks at WellSky. “WellSky’s CarePort solutions strengthen the ability for hospitals to connect with Dialyze Direct and offer patients critical services that allow for a safer, more comfortable transition to their next level of care.”
About WellSky
WellSky is one of America’s largest and most innovative healthcare technology companies leading the movement for intelligent, coordinated care. Our proven software, analytics, and services power better outcomes and lower costs for stakeholders across the health and community care continuum. In today’s value-based care environment, WellSky helps providers, payers, health systems, and community organizations scale processes, improve collaboration for growth, harness the power of data analytics, and achieve better outcomes by further connecting clinical and social care. WellSky serves more than 20,000 client sites — including the largest hospital systems, blood banks, cell therapy labs, home health and hospice franchises, post-acute providers, government agencies, and human services organizations. Informed by more than 40 years of providing software and expertise, WellSky anticipates clients’ needs and innovates relentlessly to build healthy, thriving communities. For more information, visit wellsky.com.
About Dialyze Direct
Dialyze Direct is a leading kidney care company that develops and deploys breakthrough solutions for patients suffering from kidney disease. With a mission to build the next generation of kidney care, Dialyze Direct leverages its leading nephrology specialists to develop new methods and technology to evolve treatment options and enhance outcomes for patients and partners. Dialyze Direct pioneered significant changes to the existing treatment model for dialysis patients in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), where many of the most medically challenging subsets of dialysis patients reside. The company has grown to become the nation’s largest provider of home dialysis in the SNF setting. Dialyze Direct’s innovative staff-assisted home hemodialysis treatment model entails a gentler, more personalized treatment plan comprised of meticulously crafted protocols designed to tackle the unique fluid management challenges of geriatric dialysis patients. The result is increased overall patient health and reduced hospitalizations – all while substantially decreasing costs for payers. Dialyze Direct currently operates in 14 states, with new operations launching soon in additional states. Visit http://www.dialyzedirect.com to learn more.
Zumado Public Relations
Nicholas Gaffney
ngaffney@zumado.com
415-732-7801
The affiliation creates a beneficial continuity of care approach for geriatric patients with end-stage kidney disease, simplifying patient placement to single locations for rehab, dialysis and recovery while reducing the strain on SWHR resources.
BROOKLYN, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dialyze Direct, the nation’s leading provider of home hemodialysis services in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), announced today that beginning January 1, 2023, it will be a preferred provider for Southwestern Health Resources (SWHR), a clinically integrated network created by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Texas Health Resources.
The affiliation ensures patients needing dialysis and managed rehabilitative care can transfer care from the hospital to a facility where they can maintain and even improve their recovery progress by having access to Dialyze Direct’s onsite, staff-assisted gentler, more frequent dialysis (MFD) regimen. MFD is proven to deliver outcomes such as decreased mortality, fewer re-hospitalizations, faster dialysis recovery time (DRT), reduced infections, more availability for rehab therapies, and increased comfort and well-being.
“Our unique model involves a three-way effort to bridge the divide between hospital systems and SNFs to create a continuity of care for patients well enough to thrive outside the institutional setting in the homelike environment SNFs provide,” said Robert Aberman, SVP, Population Health at Dialyze Direct. “We are pleased to begin our association with SWHR to help them offer patients a gentler form of dialysis care through our network of SNF partners across North Texas, as part of this preferred provider care coordination agreement.”
Dialyze Direct’s approach involves establishing within SNFs dialysis treatment “dens” that typically serve 10 to 18 patients a day, five days a week. The American Heart Association recently endorsed home dialysis therapies, including the MFD modality, in a published report that encapsulates many of Dialyze Direct’s key findings about its MFD.
Traditionally, dialysis patients residing in SNFs represent one of the most costly patient populations for insurance plans and hospital systems. With Dialyze Direct, the SNF partnership model is designed to include in the care management the dialysis care team, SNF staff, and the patient’s physician. As a result, patients re-admit to the hospital less, discharge from the hospital sooner, recover more quickly after treatment and achieve a higher quality of life. Dialyze Direct continues to form new SNF partnerships and dialysis dens in Texas and other regions of the country, reaching more patients with its life-enhancing-enhancing dialysis treatment.
About Southwestern Health Resources
Southwestern Health Resources (SWHR) is a patient-centered, clinically integrated network of 31 hospital locations and more than 5,500 physicians and clinicians caring for more than 730,000 individuals across 16 counties in North Texas. Blending the strengths of Texas Health Resources and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, SWHR offers an unmatched ability to connect individuals with a full spectrum of nationally preeminent, clinical care. For the past four years, SWHR has been recognized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as a Next Generation Accountable Care Organization for shared savings, generating more than $38 million in 2020 and nearly $158 million in Medicare savings since 2017.
About Dialyze Direct
Founded in 2015, Dialyze Direct is a leading kidney care innovation company that seeks breakthrough solutions for patients suffering from kidney disease. With a mission to build the next generation of kidney care, Dialyze Direct leverages its leading nephrology specialists to develop new methods and technology to evolve the treatment options nephrologists have at their disposal. Dialyze Direct pioneered significant changes to the existing treatment model for dialysis patients in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), in which many of the most medically challenging subsets of dialysis patients reside, and has grown to become the nation’s largest provider of home dialysis in the SNF setting. Dialyze Direct’s innovative staff-assisted home hemodialysis treatment model entails a gentler, personalized treatment plan comprised of meticulously crafted protocols designed to tackle the unique fluid management challenges of geriatric dialysis patients, resulting in increased overall patient health and reduced hospitalizations while substantially decreasing costs for payers. Dialyze Direct currently operates in 14 states with new operations launching soon in additional states. www.DialyzeDirect.com.
Zumado Public Relations
Nicholas Gaffney
ngaffney@zumado.com
415-732-7801
One of the strongest hurricanes in United States history is challenging home care and home health providers in Southwest and Central Florida.
Hurricane Ian slammed into the West coast of Florida Wednesday afternoon as a powerful Category 4 hurricane, packing 150 mile-an-hour winds. The storm left more than 2.5 million Floridians without power Thursday. Power outages coupled with flooding, blocked roads and gasoline shortages made it difficult for home care agencies to deploy staff to clients’ homes throughout the region Thursday, according to Kyle Simon, director of government affairs and communication for the Home Care Association of Florida.
“I spoke to one agency who has a contract with a fuel company in Texas and he’s trying to figure out how to get that [fuel] over to the Naples area where his agency is located,” Simon told McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse. “Obviously with all of the other things that are happening with gas — fuel costs rising and everything — that is going to be a challenge for them.”
In anticipation of the storm, Simon said many home care agencies moved vulnerable patients to shelters and other facilities. Agencies also had mutual aid agreements in place with other home care companies to provide care to patients if they were unable to do so.
Still, Ian has been a test for a healthcare industry increasingly moving care away from facilities and into homes. Fresenius Kidney Care mobilized response teams, including utility companies, to ensure that patients using home dialysis machines could get power and water restored quickly in the event of outages. Patients using Fresenius’ NxStage home hemodialysis machines could also switch to bagged dialysate — a fluid made up of water, electrolytes and salts — instead of using tap water, a Fresenius spokesman told McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse in an email.
But some dialysis patients may not be able to stay in their homes. Dialyze Direct, which provides in-home dialysis services to approximately 140 patients in Florida skilled nursing facilities, is working with the Florida Office of Emergency Management to help dislocated patients if necessary.
“If a patient is being evacuated to any of our locations, we will work with them to see what we can do to help them locally to continue dialysis,” Dialyze Direct President Josh Rothenberg told McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse.
Ian could have other repercussions for healthcare providers, if it takes weeks or even months for the region to recover. Displaced workers could decide not to return to their homes or their jobs — exacerbating a caregiver shortage that was a crisis long before the hurricane hit.
“I hope it’s not the straw that is going to break the camel’s back,” Simon said.
BROOKLYN, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dialyze Direct, the nation’s leading provider of home hemodialysis and physiologic dialysis services in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), announced today that the company, together with UMC Health System (UMC) in Lubbock, Texas, an award-winning public hospital and primary teaching hospital of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, has committed to bringing onsite dialysis options to patients who require renal therapy at SNFs throughout West Texas.
Dialysis patients in Lubbock County and West Texas will benefit from this arrangement, giving them an option to receive staff-assisted in-patient dialysis while receiving treatment in an SNF. Onsite, staff-assisted more frequent dialysis (MFD) has been shown to provide patients with better outcomes than traditional dialysis. These include quicker recovery time after treatment (often less than 2 hours), reduced rehospitalization and emergency room visits, elimination of long travel times to outpatient centers and improved quality of life.
Furthermore, the arrangement also provides benefits to the hospital by simplifying the discharge process for skilled nursing patients, accelerating the admissions procedure and improving the continuity of care throughout a patient’s journey from UMC to the SNF to potentially returning home.
“It has been our goal to bring superior dialysis care options to another great Texas community,” said Ben Williams, vice president of patient services at Dialyze Direct. “We are thrilled that the Lubbock region, with the help of UMC Health System, now has dialysis options at Lubbock Hospitality and Lakeside of Lubbock.”
As Kyle Galyean, director of social services at UMC Health System put it, “There is a strong need in Lubbock and surrounding communities for this type of collaboration; we are excited to see the benefits realized for our patients and skilled nursing partners.”
UMC Health System, a national award-winning health system comprised of over 4,700 team members and more than 30 care locations, partners with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center to provide the best healthcare to West Texas and Eastern New Mexico. For patients managing a chronic condition, dealing with an unexpected illness or simply working to stay healthy, UMC is passionate about healing and keeping West Texans well.
Founded in 2015, Dialyze Direct is a leading kidney care innovation company that seeks breakthrough solutions for patients suffering from kidney disease. With a mission to build the next generation of kidney care, Dialyze Direct leverages its leading nephrology specialists to develop new methods and technology to evolve the treatment options nephrologists have at their disposal. Dialyze Direct pioneered significant changes to the existing treatment model for dialysis patients in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), in which many of the most medically challenging subsets of dialysis patients reside and has grown to become the nation’s largest provider of home dialysis in the SNF setting. Dialyze Direct’s innovative staff-assisted home hemodialysis treatment model entails a gentler, personalized treatment plan comprised of meticulously crafted protocols designed to tackle the unique fluid management challenges of geriatric dialysis patients, resulting in increased overall patient health and reduced hospitalizations while substantially decreasing costs for payers. Dialyze Direct currently operates in 14 states with new operations launching soon in additional states
Zumado Public Relations
Nicholas Gaffney
ngaffney@zumado.com
415-732-7801
BROOKLYN, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dialyze Direct, the nation’s leading provider of home hemodialysis services in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), is pleased to announce the appointment of Kim Hernandez Kuch to the chief marketing officer (CMO) position, reporting to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Henry Kauftheil. In her role, Hernandez Kuch will oversee the organization’s marketing strategy, including demand generation, public relations, marketing communications, digital marketing, and events. She and her team will partner with the sales organization to help drive revenue.
“Kim is a proven leader with a reputation for building strong relationships at all levels. The experience and leadership skills Kim provides have been vital to elevating Dialyze Direct as the leader within our evolving industry and to communicating our unique role in the dialysis community,” said Kauftheil. “Our rapid growth in the past year made filling the chief marketing position a priority, and we are delighted Kim agreed to join our team.”
Before joining Dialyze Direct, Hernandez Kuch co-founded healthcare think tank SWOT Health.She also served as senior communication consultant for Solomon Edwards, Stanford Healthcare & School of Medicine, LinkedIn, GuideMark Health, as well as CMO for a video-on-demand startup. Previously, she built the marketing and communication division as the director of brand marketing and communications for Satellite Healthcare, Inc., a not-for-profit kidney services and dialysis provider.
Hernandez Kuch has spent her career in various leadership roles, including teaching at the university level, marketing enterprise security software, marketing and media relations for the motorsports industry, and as a volunteer for many community not-for-profits.
Hernandez Kuch received a Bachelor of Arts in communications, with an emphasis in organizational development, from California State University, San Bernardino, and a Master of Science in journalism and mass communication, with a focus in technology, from Iowa State University, where she also serves as chair of the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communications Advisory Council.
“This position is the culmination of my desire to use my marketing experience and brand-building skills, combined with my passion for working with organizations, to provide unique solutions that improve lifestyles for those who need it most,” said Hernandez Kuch. “I relish the opportunity to bring awareness to Dialyze Direct and help escalate our ability to provide exceptional dialysis care to more SNF partners, build foundational relationships in the medical industry and be good stewards in the communities we serve.”
Founded in 2015, Dialyze Direct is a leading kidney care innovation company that seeks breakthrough solutions for patients suffering from kidney disease. With a mission to build the next generation of kidney care, Dialyze Direct leverages its leading nephrology specialists to develop new methods and technology to evolve the treatment options nephrologists have at their disposal. Dialyze Direct pioneered significant changes to the existing treatment model for dialysis patients in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), in which many of the most medically challenging subsets of dialysis patients reside, and the company has grown to become the nation’s largest provider of home dialysis in the SNF setting. Dialyze Direct’s innovative staff-assisted home hemodialysis treatment model entails a gentler, personalized treatment plan comprised of meticulously crafted protocols designed to tackle the unique fluid management challenges of geriatric dialysis patients, resulting in increased overall patient health and reduced hospitalizations while substantially decreasing costs for payers. Dialyze Direct currently operates in 14 states with over 170 locations and new operations launching soon in additional states. www.DialyzeDirect.com.
Zumado Public Relations
Nicholas Gaffney
ngaffney@zumado.com
415-732-7801
BROOKLYN, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In anticipation of Nephrology Nurses Week, Dialyze Direct, the nation’s leading provider of home hemodialysis services in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), joins the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA) and its SNF partners around the country September 11-17 in honoring the dedicated and compassionate nephrology nurses who provide hemodialysis and other lifesaving services to patients suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD) and renal failure.
Dialyze Direct employs approximately 350 skilled nephrology nurses who work in small, intimate settings known as “dens” within SNFs. Because the company’s primary proprietary hemodialysis modality regimen involves a gentler and more patient-centric dialysis treatment the nurses spend more personalized time with each patient. As a result, they become closely invested in patient outcomes, which include quicker recovery time, more energy, added time for other therapies, and increased ability to contribute to their communities, participate in family gatherings and enjoy life.
Hemodialysis is the most common therapy for patients with End Stage Kidney Disease. It removes waste products and excess fluid directly from the vascular system by passing the blood through an artificial kidney – the dialyzer or filter – and brings the body closer to a normal physiological condition. In addition to providing dialysis treatment, nephrology nurses can be responsible for interpreting laboratory results and diagnostic tests for dialysis adequacy, anemia and mineral management, and total body fluid status. In collaboration with the patient’s nephrologist this may lead to ordering special tests such as diagnostic radiology or specialized cardiac studies. Finally, among many other things, they monitor a patient’s treatment plan, dialysis prescription, response to medications, diet, target weight, and signs of infection, all of which may lead to periodic adjustments of the overall treatment plan.
“We attribute much of our success to the quality of care provided by our nephrology nurses,” said Alice Hellebrand DNP, RN, CNN, Dialyze Direct’s chief nursing officer and Past President of ANNA. “They partner with us in our vision to heal both people and systems while embracing the belief that dialysis is not a one-size-fits-all care regimen. Our nurses are the core of our business, and while we appreciate them every day, we publicly commend their extraordinary work and commitment during Nephrology Nurses Week.”
Founded in 2015, Dialyze Direct is a leading kidney care innovation company that seeks breakthrough solutions for patients suffering from kidney disease. With a mission to build the next generation of kidney care, Dialyze Direct leverages its leading nephrology specialists to develop new methods and technology to evolve the treatment options nephrologists have at their disposal. Dialyze Direct pioneered significant changes to the existing treatment model for dialysis patients in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), in which many of the most medically challenging subsets of dialysis patients reside and has grown to become the nation’s largest provider of home dialysis in the SNF setting. Dialyze Direct’s innovative staff-assisted home hemodialysis treatment model entails a gentler, personalized treatment plan comprised of meticulously crafted protocols designed to tackle the unique fluid management challenges of geriatric dialysis patients, resulting in increased overall patient health and reduced hospitalizations while substantially decreasing costs for payers. Dialyze Direct currently operates in 14 states with new operations launching soon in additional states.
Zumado Public Relations
Nicholas Gaffney
ngaffney@zumado.com
415-732-7801