Maryland Lt. Governor Anthony Brown toured the new Fresenius Medical Care Princess Anne Dialysis facility today and learned about kidney disease and the need for expanded access to quality, life-saving dialysis treatments on the Eastern Shore. The new facility will serve the area's growing population of people with kidney failure, in need of dialysis.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is more common than most Americans realize -- one in nine adults has CKD, but many don't know it and are not taking steps to protect their damaged kidneys from getting worse. According to the National Kidney Foundation, 31 million people have CKD and another 20 million are at increased risk of getting kidney disease because they have diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity or a family history of CKD. According to the U.S. Renal Data System, nearly 400,000 Americans were receiving regular dialysis care at the end of 2009, and health experts expect the number to double over the next ten years.

"Governor O'Malley and I are committed to improving the health of all Marylanders because we know that a healthy state is a productive state," said Lt. Governor Brown. "While kidney disease is on the rise in Maryland and across the U.S., we can save lives and reduce health care costs by focusing on wellness and prevention, improving awareness and increasing access to health care across Maryland."

The New FMCNA facility is located at 12185 Elm St. and will have the capacity to treat up to 60 patients initially. The company also operates two other dialysis facilities in nearby Salisbury; one on Belmont Avenue, which opened in 2010, and the other on South Division Street, which opened in 2006.

"We are delighted to expand our resources on the Eastern Shore. There is a great demand for accessible, quality health care services in this area," said Fali Sidhva, Regional Vice President of Fresenius Medical Care.

Kazi Khan, M.D., a nephrologist with Nephrology Consultants in Salisbury, Md., will serve as medical director at the new facility. "Governor O'Malley and Lt. Governor Brown are committed to improving health care for state residents, especially those in rural areas, and we applaud their efforts," he said. "Dialysis patients spend many hours receiving treatment each week, so we are pleased to offer this level of care in a more convenient location for people in the Princess Anne area," Dr. Khan added.

African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and seniors over 65 are at increased risk for chronic kidney disease. As CKD progresses, it leads to kidney failure, which requires a kidney transplant or kidney dialysis to maintain life. Dialysis is a life-sustaining process that cleans waste products from the blood, removes extra fluids and controls the body's chemistry when a person's kidneys fail. Dialysis patients typically require treatment on an ongoing basis unless they receive a kidney transplant.

FMCNA is known as an innovator in kidney care delivery and quality patient care. It recently completed a national demonstration project with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that improved patient outcomes and lowered health care costs.

For more information on the new FMCNA facility, which is accepting new patients, call 1-410-651-1056 or 1-866-4-DIALYSIS (1-866-434-2597).

Fresenius Medical Care Princess Anne features:

  • 16 dialysis treatment stations.
  • CHAIRSIDE® online charting and electronic health record system with touch-screen monitors at dialysis stations, for clinical staff to accurately enter and securely track critical patient information.
  • Single use of dialyzers, unlike other facilities that may disinfect and reuse them.
  • Treatment stations designed for patient comfort and convenience that feature individual media systems.
  • Wireless Internet access in the facility for patients who bring their own computers.

Fresenius Medical Care Princess Anne offers other dialysis patient services including a kidney transplant support program, anemia management, nutrition counseling, bone disease management and social worker support. It also offers a Treatment Options Program (TOPs), educational seminars at no cost, to inform at-risk patients and their families about chronic kidney disease and all available treatments for kidney failure, including the various modalities of dialysis and kidney transplant. Sessions are open to the public and are held regularly at the facility; call toll-free 1-877-TOPS-LIFE (1-877-867-7543) for more information.

All Fresenius Medical Care facilities share the company's UltraCare® mission of delivering excellent, patient-centered care through innovative programs, the latest technology, continuous quality improvement and a focus on superior customer service.

About Fresenius Medical Care

Fresenius Medical Care (NYSE: FMS) is the world's leading company devoted to patient-oriented renal therapy. Through more than 2,700 clinics in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Africa, we provide kidney dialysis treatments to approximately 215,000 patients worldwide. We are also the world's leading maker of dialysis products such as hemodialysis machines, dialyzers and related disposable products. Chronic kidney failure is a condition that affects about 2 million individuals worldwide.

For more information about the company's more than 1,800 U.S. dialysis facilities, visit www.ultracare-dialysis.com (in English and Spanish). For more information about Fresenius Medical Care, visit www.fmc-ag.com or www.fmcna.com.

Media contact:
OB Associates
Mary-Liz Lichtenfels, 1-703-489-7853
maryliz@obassociates.net
or
Company contact:
Fresenius Medical Care Princess Anne
Adrienne Adkins, 1-410-651-1056