It’s the beginning of a new year, and that means medical professionals are setting goals to further improve health outcomes for their patients. This is particularly important for patients who suffer from complex, chronic illnesses.

I’ve compiled a list of trends that I predict will play a large part in shaping kidney care during 2014, with a focus on patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD).

Working patients. This was a hot topic closing out 2013 and will continue to gain attention throughout 2014. Admittedly, for some patients there are medical reasons that prevent them from  working when on dialysis; however, I foresee the kidney care community turning its focus toward the education of patients, employers and the public about the benefits of continuing to work despite being on dialysis. A key part of this educational effort will be an emphasis on treatment options for patients who can continue working. For such patients, the use of home dialysis modalities is particularly helpful. Read more…

On March 3, 1991, an infamous event was caught on videotape in Los Angeles. Rodney King, a parolee and construction worker, was beaten brutally by Los Angeles police officers following a high-speed chase. After the video went viral the police officers were arrested and charged with assault and excessive force. Following the acquittal of three of the four officers on April 29, 1992, there were riots in Los Angeles, with 53 people killed and thousands injured. It was during the riots that Rodney King, the lightning rod for these events, asked, “Can we all get along?” Read more…

For more information on the future of Accountable Care Organizations visit www.AccountableKidneyCare.com

In this short video, Allen R. Nissenson, MD, FACP, Chief Medical Officer, DaVita, shares why taking the proper care of the kidney population is so important for Integrated Care Systems or ACOs.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this presentation are the views of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the views of DaVita, Inc. DaVita does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this presentation.