EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- DaVita, Inc., the nation’s largest independent provider of dialysis services, has restored operations in nine of its Louisiana dialysis clinics that were impacted by Hurricane Katrina. DaVita is prepared to provide treatment to all of its patients and any others in need of dialysis in or around New Orleans or elsewhere nationwide where they have relocated.
Using its nationwide network of clinics, DaVita has been accepting evacuee patients across the country. Over 200 patients were accepted in the state of Texas and evacuees have been admitted as far away as Maryland, Colorado, and California. The company encourages patients and their families to call DaVita’s Guest Services at 1-800-400-8331 for placement in a dialysis facility or to visit http://www.davita.com or http://www.dialysisfinder.com.
“Some residents are making their way back towards New Orleans and we want them to know that we have dialysis centers open and ready to serve them,” stated DaVita CEO Kent Thiry. “With more than 700 clinics nationwide, we are prepared to treat those in need of dialysis whether or not they plan to return to the New Orleans region or southern Mississippi.”
Of DaVita’s 16 facilities affected by Katrina, nine have now reopened. DaVita is also providing acute dialysis services at several hospitals on the North shore of New Orleans, and has accelerated the process of building new clinics in the area. Three clinics that were scheduled to open in 2006 have been put on the fast track for development, with the goal of opening by the end of this year.
DaVita is a leading provider of dialysis services for patients suffering from chronic kidney failure. DaVita operates and provides administrative services to kidney dialysis centers and home peritoneal dialysis programs domestically in 37 states and the District of Columbia. As of June 30, 2005, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 706 outpatient centers, serving approximately 57,200 patients.
DaVita, Inc.
CONTACT: LeAnne Zumwalt of DaVita Inc., +1-650-696-8910
