DaVita®,
a division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. (NYSE: DVA) and a leading
provider of kidney care services, thanks its more than 3,200 social
workers and dietitians for their critical efforts in advancing patient
care. The month of March marks both National Social Work Month and
National Nutrition Month and the specialized services that social
workers and dietitians offer in the health care field.
During March, in honor of DaVita social workers and dietitians, the
company holds dozens of meetings to invite social workers and dietitians
to come together and be recognized for their outstanding contributions
to the DaVita “Village” (company).
“Through their endless support and by helping to ease many of the
worries patients and their loved ones face, social workers and
dietitians represent two of the greatest assets a patient has in
dialysis,” said Debbie Benner, vice president of clinical support at
DaVita. “We are pleased to recognize these two invaluable groups of
individuals who improve the quality of life for our dialysis patients
each and every day.”
Social workers take holistic care to heart as they listen to and
advocate for each patient’s emotional, psychosocial and physical health.
Social workers help patients help themselves as they adjust to a chronic
illness. Teaching patients about kidney disease and their treatment
options–including possible transplantation–helps patients understand and
make informed decisions about their care. In addition, social workers
are instrumental in assisting with insurance questions and coordinating
travel arrangements for patients. Social workers educate and support
patients to help them enjoy a better quality of life.
Dietitians work regularly with patients to guide their dietary choices
and create healthy meal plans for specific health needs. Chronic kidney
disease requires significant diet modifications, which include
monitoring fluids and key nutritional levels such as sodium, phosphorus
and potassium. By educating patients, dietitians can help patients avoid
complications and improve clinical outcomes.
During the month of March, DaVita dietitians launched the “Connecting
our Village” and “Communities to Better Health” initiatives. DaVita
dietitians will educate more than 35,000 teammates and empower local
communities to make healthy food and lifestyle choices through education
in schools, nursing homes, community centers and libraries.
DaVita and DaVita HealthCare Partners are trademarks or registered
trademarks of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. All other trademarks are
the property of their respective owners.
About DaVita
DaVita is the dialysis division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., a
Fortune 500® company that, through its operating divisions, provides a
variety of health care services to patient populations throughout the
United States and abroad. A leading provider of kidney care in the
United States, DaVita delivers dialysis services to patients with
chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita strives to
improve patients’ quality of life by innovating clinical care, and by
offering integrated treatment plans, personalized care teams and
convenient health-management services. As of Dec. 31, 2012, DaVita
operated or provided administrative services at 1,954 outpatient
dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately
153,000 patients. The company also operated 36 outpatient dialysis
centers located in eight countries outside the United States. DaVita
supports numerous programs dedicated to creating positive, sustainable
change in communities around the world. The company’s leadership
development initiatives and social responsibility efforts have been
recognized by Fortune, Modern Healthcare, Newsweek and WorldBlu. For
more information, please visit DaVita.com.
