L-R Dialysis Clinic Inc. Registered Dietitian Lisa Sorn, Ohio Collaborative Dialysis Coalition President Diane Wish, Nephrologist Dr. Robin Shah and Roland Hall, dialysis patient, spoke at the Statehouse news conference to announce the new ‘Dialysis=Life’ report.
Ohio has an exceptional reputation for offering quality and locally-accessible dialysis services for patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD). The Ohio Collaborative Dialysis Coalition (OCDC) today issued a new impact report that provides an overview on dialysis operations in Ohio. The report provides information about how patients are served and how the industry contributes to the social and economic wellbeing of communities in Ohio. It is available at www.dialysisequalslife.com.
“More than 17,000 Ohioans depend on dialysis treatments multiple times each week,” said Diane Wish, President, OCDC. “This report provides insight into these life-sustaining and critical operations and clinic operators’ commitment to ensure safe, superior service at the 350 community-based dialysis centers throughout Ohio.”
Dialysis is used by people with ESRD, who need the treatment when their kidneys have lost 85-90% of their ability to function. Dialysis machines do the work of kidneys to clean blood, and remove built-up toxins and fluid. Most Ohio dialysis patients, about 88%, choose outpatient dialysis care at a community-based clinic, receiving treatments three times each week. Each treatment usually lasts around four hours. Without vigilant dialysis care, ESRD patients can lose their life in days or weeks.
“Many dialysis patients lead full and productive lives, thanks to a professional team that not only provides blood-cleaning services but also counsels the patients on proper diet and fluid intake, transplant education and other challenges to a patient’s best health,” said Henry Wehrum, DO, nephrologist. “It is important that patients have local access to dialysis, to ensure they get the reliable, convenient access to the care they need.”
More than 6,000 Ohioans are employed by community dialysis centers. Dialysis patients are served by social workers, dietitians, nurses, physicians, transportation providers, mental health counselors and dialysis center technicians. About 90% of dialysis patients are insured by Medicare and Medicaid.
According to reports from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), Ohio’s dialysis centers meet and exceed national standards for quality and patient satisfaction. Ohio’s dialysis clinics are licensed by the Ohio Department of Health, certified by the CMS and are highly regulated by state and federal laws.
Dialysis for ESRD occurs at a higher rate for minority populations. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, ESRD prevalence is about 3.7 times greater for African Americans, 1.4 times greater in Native Americans, and 1.5 times greater in Asian Americans and 1.5 times greater for Hispanic Americans.
Ohio’s dialysis centers contribute to an overall cost-effective healthcare system. Patients who adhere to regular dialysis treatments have decreased rates of mortality and infection. Local access to dialysis treatment at community-based centers helps patients to avoid more costly hospitalizations and improves their quality of life.
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In early 2020, Lesic & Camper assisted the Ohio Collaborative Dialysis Coalition with the creation and release of a new impact report on Ohio’s dialysis system, called ‘Dialysis=Life.’ The report and infographic can be accessed at www.dialysisequalslife.com.
Dialysis providers and kidney health advocates are proud to offer this report to help educate elected officials, community leaders and the public about the importance of dialysis care within our overall system of health care. Ohio’s dialysis system compares exceptionally well against national measures and meets or exceeds averages across a variety of patient satisfaction and performance metrics.
There are 350 community-based dialysis centers that serve more than 17,000 patients and employ more than 6,000 professionals. The Lesic & Camper team is proud to work with Ohio’s dialysis providers to tell their story and help ensure that patients have access to these