Jefferson Health, Fresenius Kidney Care Expand Kidney Care for Camden/Gloucester County Residents
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Partnership Improves Access to State-of-the-Art Facilities and Superior Care
Current Jefferson Health patients will continue to receive exceptional, convenient care from the same team of expert nephrology physicians and providers at outpatient locations in Voorhees and Washington Township.
“We are excited to provide access to life-sustaining treatment to people in Camden and Gloucester County living with end-stage renal disease,” said Fresenius Kidney Care Regional Vice President Carl Motz. “We are committed to providing comprehensive care to patients in need of dialysis so that they can lead fuller lives. This partnership allows us to expand that mission here in New Jersey.”
The partnership with Jefferson Health, made official on June 26 of this year, will fulfill the need for dialysis in the community. In New Jersey, more than 21,000 patients are on dialysis.
“Fresenius Kidney Care is a worldwide leader in the treatment of renal disease, and by working together, our current and future patients can continue to receive high-quality, compassionate treatment and care,” said Joseph W. Devine, FACHE, President, Jefferson Health New Jersey, and Chief Experience Officer, Jefferson Health.
Dialysis is a treatment for kidney failure that rids the body of unwanted toxins, waste products, and excess fluids by filtering the blood, essentially replacing some of the lost kidney function. When kidneys fail, they are no longer able to filter the blood. Patients must either receive a kidney transplant, perform their dialysis treatments at home, or receive in-center dialysis treatment three times a week.
Many experts agree that home dialysis — either peritoneal or hemodialysis — is the best option aside from transplant for treating kidney failure. Jefferson Health’s Voorhees dialysis location currently provides peritoneal dialysis for patients who may benefit from this treatment. Choosing home dialysis can mean fewer food restrictions, greater scheduling flexibility, less frequent transportation challenges, and better outcomes.
“Home dialysis allows patients to receive life-sustaining treatment in the comfort of their homes, on a schedule that works best for their medical and lifestyle priorities,” said Dr. Jeffrey Hymes, Chief Medical Officer for Fresenius Kidney Care. “With the proper education, training, and support, we can help most patients thrive on home dialysis.”
About 1 in 7 adults in the U.S. have chronic kidney disease, with many not detecting the condition until they have lost more than 96 percent of their kidney function. Symptoms and warning signs for late-stage kidney disease include changes in urination, fatigue, swelling in hands or feet, and pain in the small of the back. Physicians recommend that people who are at risk for CKD be screened at least once a year. More than 600,000 Americans live with kidney failure, which requires either a transplant or dialysis to remove waste from the blood, maintain safe levels of potassium and sodium, and control blood pressure.
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Statistics:
- About 1 in 7 U.S. adults, or about 30 million people, have CKD.
- The leading causes of CKD are diabetes and high blood pressure. Together they account for 73 percent of new diagnoses.
- About 96 percent of people with reduced kidney function do not even know it. The progression of kidney disease can often be slowed with early treatment, but many people do not show symptoms until late stages of CKD.
- Kidney disease affects people of all ages, but those 60 and over are the most likely to develop it.
- Certain ethnic groups, including African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans, are at a higher risk of CKD.
- Mortality rates for people living with kidney failure declined by 28% between 2001 and 2015.
- 95,000 Americans are waiting for a kidney transplant while 215,000 are currently living with a transplant.
Dialysis Fast Facts:
- 1 in 3 people starting dialysis had not seen a kidney doctor before the diagnosis.
- Nearly 500,000 Americans are receiving life-sustaining dialysis treatment.
About Fresenius Kidney Care: Fresenius Kidney Care, a division of Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA), provides dialysis treatment and support services to more than 190,000 people with kidney disease every year whether in their own homes or at more than 2,400 facilities nationwide. Fresenius Kidney Care’s dedicated teams help address the physical and emotional aspects of kidney disease through personalized care, education, and lifestyle support services.
About Jefferson Health: Jefferson Health, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, is reimagining health care in the greater Philadelphia region and southern New Jersey. Jefferson’s dedicated team of doctors, nurses, health professionals and staff provides a range of primary to highly-specialized care through 14 hospitals (seven are Magnet®-designated by the ANCC for nursing excellence), more than 40 outpatient and urgent care locations, the NCI-designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Magee Rehabilitation and the JeffConnect® telemedicine program. For 2019-2020, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals is ranked among the nation’s best hospitals in eight specialities by U.S. News & World Report. Jefferson Health’s mission is to improve the lives of patients in the communities it is privileged to serve through safe, effective, equitable, compassionate care.