DaVita Inc. and Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA) jointly announced they are collaborating in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to offer isolation capacity for dialysis patients who are or may be infected with the novel coronavirus that causes the disease.
The companies, which are the largest providers of dialysis in the United States, also will be working in cooperation with US Renal Care, American Renal Associates, Satellite Healthcare, and other dialysis companies. A critical aim of the collaboration is to keep dialysis patients out of the hospital whenever possible, freeing up limited hospital resources, DaVita and FMCNA stated in a news release.
“Dialysis organizations have designated capacity in select clinics across their national networks to create isolation units and shifts, which will treat patients who are or may be COVID-19 positive separately,” the companies stated. “This collaboration will help safeguard care givers, will conserve personal protective equipment and other important supplies, and will create an environment that provides excess capacity for providers that may be overwhelmed with larger COVID-19 clusters. There is strong evidence that diligent isolation will mitigate the potential of cross-spread due to close contact among patients and staff.”
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Reference
Focus on patient care brings industry together to fight crisis [news release]. DaVita; March 31, 2020.