Once again, National Kidney Month is upon us. As nephrologists we deal with kidney disease on a daily basis, but the unfortunate reality is that chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a relatively unrecognized condition. Even though 1 out of 10 adults in the United States has kidney disease,[1] CKD has yet to reach the public awareness level of other chronic conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. In fact, approximately 60 percent of patients with late-stage kidney disease are unaware their kidneys are failing.[2]

What does that mean for us as nephrologists? Our unique position as leaders in kidney care provides the opportunity to educate our patients, our loved ones and others in our communities. Here are three simple steps you can take to help raise awareness during National Kidney Month.

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On Aug. 13, I joined other members of the kidney care community for Voices of Dialysis: Protecting Access to Care—a Google+ Hangout discussing the government’s proposed funding cut for dialysis care. In this interactive video chat, the other speakers and I shared our concerns about the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to cut dialysis funding by 9.4 percent and elaborated on the potential impact for hundreds of thousands of Americans who rely on dialysis for life-saving treatments.

In case you missed the live Google+ Hangout, watch the complete 45-minute recap of Voices of Dialysis: Protecting Access to Care.

Speakers:
Eric Edwards, Dialysis Patient,
Dialysis Patient Citizens Board President

Allen R. Nissenson, MD, Chief Medical Officer,
DaVita

Robert J. Kossmann, MD, President,
Renal Physicians Association (RPA)

Diane Wish, President and CEO,
Centers for Dialysis Care