A major national healthcare provider is taking a stand to “Slug the Flu
Bug” by offering flu shots to all 180,000 patients who receive care at Fresenius
Medical Care North America (FMCNA) dialysis facilities, and to the
company’s 50,000 employees across the country, at no cost to the
recipients.
Fresenius Medical Care spokesperson, celebrity chef Aaron McCargo Jr., met with patients and their families at the AAKP conference to help raise awareness around healthy eating and the importance of the flu vaccine. (Photo: Business Wire)
Besides the shots, FMCNA, the nation’s leading network of dialysis
facilities, has launched a company-wide awareness program to educate
staff and patients about how to avoid catching or spreading the flu
virus, while strongly encouraging that they and their families get
vaccinated every year.
Flu – a contagious and potentially fatal respiratory illness carried by
airborne viruses and spread by sneezing and coughing – affects millions
of Americans each year with symptoms of fatigue, fever, chills, aches,
congestion and coughing. Yet the consequences can be much worse for
vulnerable segments of the population like people with chronic kidney
disease (CKD) and kidney
failure. Their condition, and the demands of their life-sustaining
treatment, leave them at greater risk for complications related to
influenza.
To kick off its awareness campaign about the importance of flu shots,
FMCNA provided flu vaccinations at no cost to those attending this
year’s National Patient Meeting of the American
Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) on Sept. 26 and 27 in Las
Vegas, Nev. The annual meeting gives patients and their families a
chance to meet with health care professionals and academic experts, and
learn about the latest developments in kidney disease care. The company
is also sponsoring a variety of awareness efforts by AAKP to encourage
flu vaccination throughout the entire renal community.
“We’re very grateful for Fresenius Medical Care’s generous offer to
provide vaccinations to attendees of our annual meeting,” says Gary
Green, executive director of AAKP. “We encourage our members to get flu
shots every year and this is a great opportunity to be sure that they’re
taking care of this important precaution.”
Senior FMCNA executives have also been getting vaccinated in recent
weeks, while issuing a “vaccine challenge” to other employees and
patients to participate in the company’s flu shot program. To further
encourage full participation, FMCNA has agreed to donate $1 for every
patient and employee vaccinated through this program. The donation,
expected to exceed $200,000, will be allocated among charities
supporting renal patients, and to the company’s employee support fund,
which provides assistance to those providing renal care who experience
medical emergencies within their families, or are affected by
hurricanes, tornados and other disasters.
FMCNA is committed to ensuring the health of its staff and patients
during flu season by offering vaccinations at no cost and practicing
effective infection control. Patients should inquire at their local
dialysis clinic for locations and times of specific vaccination
opportunities. They can find additional information about flu
precautions and other ideas for staying healthy on FMCNA’s patient
website: www.ultracare-dialysis.com.
About Fresenius Medical Care North America
Through its
leading network of more than 2,150 dialysis facilities in North America
and vascular access centers, laboratory, pharmacy and affiliated
hospitals and nephrology practices, Fresenius Medical Care provides
renal services to hundreds of thousands of people throughout the United
States, Mexico and Canada. It is also the continent’s top producer of
dialysis equipment, dialyzers and related disposable products and a
major supplier of renal pharmaceuticals.
For more information about the company, visit www.fmcna.com;
for information about patient services, visit www.ultracare-dialysis.com.
About American Association of Kidney Patients
AAKP is a
voluntary non-profit organization founded by kidney patients, which for
45 years, has been dedicated to improving the quality of life of kidney
patients through education, advocacy and the fostering of patient
communities. The programs offered by AAKP inform and inspire patients
and their families to better understand their condition, adjust more
readily to their circumstances, and assume more normal, productive lives
in their communities.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140930006188/en/
Copyright Business Wire 2014