WellBound has been busy lately!

Hi y’all,

I’ve received a couple of recent press releases from WellBound that I think you’ll be interested in, below (highlighting is mine). And I’m very glad to see that they’re pushing forward to expand their home dialysis services!


WellBound Study Shows Large Number of Patients Prefer “Home” Dialysis Therapies

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA, February 28, 2006 – WellBound, a company that combines focused educational programs with self-care (home) dialysis therapies to improve the lives of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, today announced results of a study supporting increased adoption of self-care dialysis therapies. Study findings showed that when provided with early dialysis options education, a large number of patients chose a home-based therapy over traditional in-center hemodialysis. These findings were presented today at the Annual Dialysis Conference in San Francisco, CA.

“WellBound has long championed the belief that when properly educated and given a treatment choice, a large number of patients will select the clinical, quality of life and convenience benefits associated with self-care therapies,” said John Moran, M.D., WellBound’s chief medical officer and a leading expert on self-care dialysis. “We are excited to now have compelling data to support this position,”

As part of this study, WellBound analyzed the dialysis therapy selections of 576 patients after they received early education on all available treatment options, including conventional in-center hemodialysis (HD), peritoneal dialysis (either CAPD or CCPD), renal transplant, and the various home hemodialysis regimens. Results showed that 42% of these patients selected a self-care (home) therapy. Of 206 patients who have completed training, 164 (80%) chose peritoneal dialysis and 42 (20%) home hemodialysis. Nationally, only 7% of all new dialysis patients select home dialysis as their therapy choice.

“Based on these findings, WellBound believes that the concept of early dialysis options education and the offering of all available treatment options should become integral components of standard CKD patient care,” stated Dr. Moran. “We believe that doing so would greatly increase the number of patients receiving the clinical and quality of life benefits associated with these therapies.”

In a separate study presented yesterday at the Annual Dialysis Conference, WellBound researchers showed that CKD patients undergoing short daily home hemodialysis, an innovative self-care therapy, experienced improved quality of life and reduced need for antihypertensive drugs after transferring from other dialysis therapies.

About Self-Care Dialysis

The term self-care dialysis refers to those dialysis therapies which patients are able to self-administer outside the confines of hemodialysis centers, including peritoneal dialysis and all types of home hemodialysis. A growing collection of clinical research clearly demonstrates that the more frequent, more consistent dialysis associated with self-care provides patients with improved health outcomes such as improved mortality rates and reduced hospitalizations. Home dialysis also offers significant quality of life advantages including greater convenience, more flexible schedules, and fewer fluid and dietary restrictions.

About WellBound

Founded in 2003, WellBound is an affiliate of dialysis industry leader Satellite Healthcare. The company is focused on improving the lives of chronic kidney disease patients by combining focused education programs with the delivery and support of self-care dialysis therapies. Teaming with partner nephrologists, WellBound prioritizes early CKD options and wellness education programs for patients before they require dialysis. This enables patients to maintain their health and potentially delay the need for dialysis.

Once dialysis is required, WellBound supports the entire spectrum of self-care treatments, including peritoneal dialysis and all types of daily home hemodialysis. The company works closely with physician partners to deliver more frequent and longer dialysis regimens than are possible at traditional in-center facilities. The result is improved clinical outcomes and a higher quality of life.

WellBound has established five operational self-care dialysis facilities and is actively engaged in expanding its “Centers of Excellence” network. To learn more about WellBound, please visit http://www.wellbound.com or contact the company directly at 1.800.476.5450.

#

WellBound Opens New Self-Care Dialysis Facility in Northern California

Santa Rosa Unit is Company’s Fifth Self-Care Center of Excellence

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA, March 7, 2006 – WellBound, the first company focused exclusively on supporting the full spectrum of self-care dialysis therapies, today announced the official opening of its fifth and latest specialized self-care dialysis facility. Located in Santa Rosa, CA, this “Center of Excellence” will support nephrologists from surrounding communities in providing patients with kidney disease education along with innovative self-care dialysis therapies.

“We are very excited to bring this new home dialysis facility to the community,” said Marc Branson, WellBound’s chief executive officer. “Together with our physician partners, we are striving to empower patients with kidney disease to take control of their health in order to achieve the benefits associated with self-care dialysis.”

There is an expanding body of scientific evidence that demonstrates that patients who receive more frequent and longer dialysis achieve superior clinical outcomes and enhanced quality of life as compared to those that do not. WellBound’s patient-friendly centers ensure optimal patient care by combining a focus on wellness and education with innovative self-care therapies that provide more frequent dialysis.

“Every day, we see patients experiencing the dramatic quality of life benefits associated with the combination of proactive wellness education and self-care dialysis,” stated Mr. Branson. “These outcomes are made possible not only through the education programs we provide and the innovative therapies we support, but also the robust support services that we offer to nephrologists and their patients.”

WellBound provides its physician partners with a high degree of clinical support. These comprehensive support services are provided by WellBound’s dedicated team of self-care dialysis medical professionals and include:

• Early education programs addressing kidney transplantation, dialysis therapy options, and vascular access planning
• Patient wellness programs focused on high blood pressure, stress management, exercise, nutrition and diabetes care
• Training programs for all forms of self-care dialysis
• Clinical care coordination services delivered by certified nephrology nurses
• 24/7 patient care telephone support

“Nephrology Associates partnered with WellBound because their comprehensive approach enables us to provide better care for our patients,” said Benjamin Fritz, M.D., medical director of the new WellBound Santa Rosa center. “WellBound offers our kidney disease patients greatly expanded educational programs in wellness and dialysis options, as well as personalized training in home dialysis therapies.”

About Self-Care Dialysis

The term self-care dialysis refers to those dialysis therapies which patients are able to self-administer outside the confines of hemodialysis centers, including peritoneal dialysis and all types of home hemodialysis. A growing collection of clinical research clearly demonstrates that the more frequent, more consistent dialysis associated with self-care provides patients with improved health outcomes such as improved mortality rates and reduced hospitalizations. Home dialysis also offers significant quality of life advantages including greater convenience, more flexible schedules, and fewer fluid and dietary restrictions.

About WellBound

Founded in 2003, WellBound is an affiliate of dialysis industry leader Satellite Healthcare. As the first company focused exclusively on the full continuum of self-care dialysis options, WellBound frees chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients from in-center dialysis treatment regimens by offering multiple, state-of-the-art “self-care” treatment options. The company’s unique expertise in personalized self-care training and patient wellness facilitates a higher quality of life and improved clinical outcomes for CKD patients, while enabling physicians to offer a new, superior level of care.

The company has established five operational self-care dialysis facilities and is actively engaged in launching a network of WellBound “Centers of Excellence” designed to deliver the full spectrum of self-care dialysis options, including peritoneal dialysis and daily home hemodialysis. To learn more about WellBound, please visit http://www.wellbound.com or contact the company directly at 1.800.476.5450.

#

It’s a long way and a long time from the West Coast to the East Coast.

It’s a long way and a long time from the West Coast to the East Coast.

True, but managing growth needs to be a careful process. As the WellBound approach proves successful, it will spread. In the meantime, DaVita, DCI, and Fresenius all have East Coast home dialysis programs today that offer a variety of home modalities and equipment.

Dori, Your right they do have home programs. However none of these come within 200 miles of being in our area. The clinics within 100 miles of us North, South, East and West are Hospital based. I shouldn’t have made the remark. My frustration level has been about a 10 after seeing our home nephrologist a couple of days ago. He is an excellent nephrologist and the hospital has given him the go ahead to have a daily home hemo program but he just can’t seem to get out of the gate. He wants to go with the Fresenius instead of the NxStage because the machine is cheaper. (Which if you bill under Method II why would this matter). I personally don’t have a preference in machines but for a short daily program the NxStage has it hands over as far as advantages for the patient and clinic. It’s a whole lot less work for both. This being a given I think it’s logical to assume the home program would have more patients if they offered the NxStage. If you get more patients it provides the hospital and the clinic they own with more revenue. If you take just the example of our family, since we have been affliated with them through nephrology my father has
used their vascular dept. for catheter replacement and fistula. Also used the hospital while dealing with the infection. We both have used gastrology for colonoscopy. We both have used plastic surgery and dermatology. We have also used the eye care department and yearly see the cardiologist in addition to seeing nephrology once a month. So when he starts talking like they are going to loose money, I just go bananas. Honestly, I think the whole home hemo program will get trashed because they simply think its either going to be to much work or it won’t be profitable. Which unfortunately will put the burden of creating a home hemo program if there is ever going to be one in our area on someone else (me). So I am looking into the possibility of doing it with the partnership of the hospitals.
However just like the messages posted by other places who have started a home program it does appear to be a bit overwhelming but then I’ve been overwhelmed before.

There are some centers in the East w/ home dialysis programs, but there is a shortage of home programs everywhere.

There is a center in Atlanta which in Nov had 54 home hemo patients (10 on NxStage). :smiley: Atlanta is 100 miles away but that is where my husband will be going for training on the NxStage, and for his monthly check ups.

I plan to call every local center which does not have home hemo programs every month :evil: and remind them that we are still making that 200 mile round trip drive.

Can you possibly set up a meeting w/ your Neph, a NxStage Rep, a couple of people already using the NxStage, and a Director of an existing home dialysis program which uses the NxStage machines? The voices of experience and expertise ought to help persuade him.

Maybe what you could suggest is that the clinic ask Fresenius and NxStage make presentations to the facility administrator and treatment team (MD, training nurse, social worker, dietitian) and potential home hemo patients present. During each presentation the sales personnel could talk about their home machine; home modifications required and costs; barriers to putting a machine in a patient’s home; training time required; training support for nurses including training manuals; follow-up support for patients at home; machine ease of use and flexibility so far as conventional, daily, nocturnal treatments; support for patient travel; etc.

I assume they wouldn’t talk finances with everyone, but the MD and administrator could discuss the costs of the machine and supplies under Method I and Method II. Home patients are not always on Method II and although clinics have more financial risk up front, they can make more money if Medicare patients are Method I. Some clinics require that patients sign a contract when they ask to do home dialysis stating that except for transplant or unforeseen situations, they will commit to staying on home hemo for at least x amount of time. I’ve heard that it takes 1.5 - 2 years to recoup the up front costs of home hemo. However, in your case, you’ve been trained so it would take very little time to train you to use a different machine. New patients would require more up front costs.

There are many clinics in the country using Fresenius machines for home hemo, including nocturnal. The 2008K At Home machine is more user friendly for patients doing self-dialysis than the Fresenius 2008 in-center machine that is designed for someone standing to operate it. I’m not sure which would be easier for you as a caregiver. I’m sure the doctor and administrator can find people that will tell them how much it costs per patient using the Fresenius machine.

For info on the NxStage, your doctor or administrator might want to talk with Circle Medical Management in Chicago. Their administrator (Sheri Floramo) recently shared information about costs/savings of their daily home hemodialysis program that uses the NxStage at a recent administrators session at a meeting of The Renal Network. You can call Circle Medical Management at 312-829-1424.

I offered to do that because I know I could do that but for some reason unbeknown to me there not interested. That’s why I get so frustrated. The nephrologist picks my brain then does nothing. I feel like if I did all the research for him and laid it out on a silver platter we could get somewhere. The problem is it is twice as hard for me to get answers on cost etc. because I’m not even in the field. I think they should hire me on a volunteer basis so I could represent them and get the answers they need to move ahead but even though they admit I probably know more about the in’s and outs of a home program I’m not qualified.

Beth,

Thanks again, I’ll pass on the Circle Management Number.

Lorelle,

I hear you about the 200 miles try 275 one way that’s what we do. Plus another 100 miles 1 way each month to have a neprologist at home. So that’s 750 miles a month just to be able to do home dialysis. If this isn’t a sign to patient that home hemo nocturnal or daily is alot better, I don’t know what is. Inspite of all my ranting and ravings about not having a program closer I do feel extremely greatful that I at have what I have.

I started with WellBound in 2004 and must say they’re growing and growing! They seem to have clinics only in California but who knows, maybe they may expand to other states…

Originally, at age 12 is where I started dialysis at Satellite Dialysis Center Inc…

They’re also a research organization, bettering dialysis…

Hi y’all,

Wellbound has opened another center! Here’s the press release:

SATELLITE DIALYSIS OPENS NEW CENTER IN STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA

Mountain View, CA, May 30, 2007 – Satellite Dialysis, a leader in the management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and one of the nation’s most experienced dialysis companies, today announced that it has opened a new hemodialysis center in Stockton, California. The new center will include 24 hemodialysis stations and will be equipped to treat 144 patients each week. The physicians and clinical teams at Satellite Dialysis of Stockton will combine start-of-the-art equipment with the most up-to-date clinical management practices to deliver superior clinical outcomes to patients.

“For over 30 years, Satellite has been meeting the needs of the ESRD population. Today, we are excited to bring our commitment to quality care, experience and resources to the kidney disease patients of Stockton,” said Mark Burke, chief executive officer of Satellite Healthcare, parent company of Satellite Dialysis. “This is another important step for Satellite as we continue our expansion within and outside of California. We are proud to continue to attract high quality physician partners seeking to build long-term value by delivering superior clinical services.”

Under the clinical direction of Jagjit Singh, M.D., the professional staff at Satellite Dialysis of Stockton center will deliver clinical care, support and hemodialysis services to patients.*

“Given Satellite’s strong industry reputation for quality and long-term view of the dialysis business, they were the clear choice as a dialysis partner,” said Dr. Singh, medical director of Satellite Dialysis of Stockton. “The company continues to make important contributions to the ESRD community that directly benefit my patients.”**

Satellite Dialysis centers are staffed by expert nurses, nutritionists, social workers and patient care technicians. The centers are designed to offer patients a friendly and comfortable environment. Each center’s collaborative team of dedicated and experienced professionals combines the most current scientific evidence and research with their practical experience in order to give patients compassionate, safe and personalized care. The benefits of this approach are supported by the consistently positive feedback provided by Satellite Dialysis patients.

“We believe our patients deserve the best care possible,” stated Rosemary Fox, vice president of Satellite Dialysis. “Whether it is their superior clinical outcomes, compassionate and professional staff, or the warm, comfortable environment of our centers, we want our patients to feel that they are receiving the best care possible to cope with their illness.”**

About Satellite Dialysis

Satellite Dialysis, an affiliate of dialysis industry leader Satellite Healthcare, is a non-profit organization with a legacy of more than 30 years focused on stability and meeting the long-term clinical needs of patients and physicians in the field of chronic kidney disease. At its centers, Satellite Dialysis provides first-rate clinical care to patients requiring comprehensive clinical support during dialysis treatments.

The company currently operates 24 hemodialysis centers and is focused on continuing to grow its expanding network of programs. To learn more about Satellite Dialysis, please visit <http://www.satellitehealth.com/dialysis>www.satellitehealth.com/dialysis.

My partner was probably the first patient to be offered Nightly Home Hemo Dialysis… at Satellite Dialysis Center Eastside (San Jose, Calif). Shiela Doss is the responsible research person that went to Lynchburg, Virginia to review their Nocturnal program and decided to offer such a program thru Satellite Dialysis. Eventually she transferred to Wellbound.

After 9 years of pertionel dialysis and a bad case of peritonites, then experiencing 3X a week in center dialysis treatments. Having those ups and downs were too much for my partner. After doing some internet research I convinced her that we should sign up for this new dialysis modility (Nightly Home Hemo Dialysis) offered by Satellite Dialysis and thru our persistance, we got selected to be the the first to go thru and help develope their training program. The rest is history… So since NOV 21, 2000 our training started and by Feb 1, 2001 we were at home. Training on the Fresenius 2008H and using it at home before switching to the NxStage and now with the Pureflow. Being the first, our training was very extensive and am glad that I have this knowledge of hemo-dialysis.

I would think that Wellbound Research would be willing to support other Clinics that would be interested in starting simular home dialysis programs that they offer at their Wellbound centers. Think other dialysis treatment clinics need to have someone (like Shiela) from within that wants to improve the quality of life for their patients and pushes management to investigate other modilities to treat their patients, and Doctors referring the patients with home treatments as the first choice. It’s sad that all people with end stage renal disease are not capable of having a helper to perform dialysis at home. Also the cost needs to be funded by the government… we spend Billions of $$$$$$$$$$ to fight this war in IRAQ, Build this wall to keep out borders secure… boy do we have our priorities in the wrong places. I best get off of my soap box…

I would think that Wellbound will be expanding throughout the state of California then expand eastward… They now have the formular for what it takes to get centers up and running successfully but do we have the qualified trained professionals to support this expansion. I don’t think training is offered at any Nurses training school so it is taught to new nurses/techs by the centers/hospitals… there is also many different machines and they do the job of cleaning your blood but differently…

HemoHelper

[B]WELLBOUND means AMEN…they are affiliated with Satellite Dialysis, a non-profit Health Corporation…this is where it all started for me.

[/B]

First in Illinois ------------------- Wellbound of Evanston, located in Skokie is now officially open. The Open House is this Thursday, June 21st.

My nephrodoc and his partners finally broke off from Evanston Northwestern Hospital. I was the only HHD pt for the last year and a third, and another one is finally being trained. They have a waiting list of people wanting to start SDD. The only issue now is the ramp up time for the Rns.


NxStage 2/06
In-center 3/03

We are in NY State and we have an Article 28 that prohibit publicly traded companies from running hospitals, dialysis centers or other health care centers.
The Legislature is trying push through legislation in the next couple of days to override Article 28 without any discussion.
It is not that we do not want publicly traded companies. There has been NO discussion at all on what it will do to the Not-for Profits. Our center is the best I have ever seen.It is a not-for profit. The Patient comes FIRST. So if there are any NY’s out there please call your legislators and say do not vote on A8100 or S3987.
Thanks
Pat

Both DaVita and Fresenius administer/manage dialysis facilities in NY State under other names (Empire State and New York Dialysis Services).

On the DaVita website it says:
DaVita is not a licensed operator of dialysis centers in New York but provides administrative and consulting services to many licensed operators in the state.

On a CareerBuilder, a jobs website, an ad recruiting for a dietitian in NY says:
New York Dialysis Services is a division of Fresenius…

When I called NY clinics to collect data on what clinics had home programs, I’d ask who owned the clinic and most of the time staff would say Empire State or New York Dialysis Services but some would say DaVita or Fresenius. I was quite confused.

So far as non-profit clinics are concerned…in Kansas City, we have several for-profit dialysis corporations with multiple clinics throughout the area plus physician-owned clinics. We also have DCI which is a non-profit corporation that has several clinics in the area too. It’s not easy for a non-profit entity to become for-profit so the likelihood is that whether or not the law changes, your clinic should not be adversely affected, especially if your clinic has the reputation for providing quality care with high patient satisfaction.

Beth wrote:

> When I called NY clinics to collect data on what clinics had home programs, I’d ask who owned the clinic and most of the time staff would say Empire State or New York Dialysis Services but some would say DaVita or Fresenius. I was quite confused. <

Did you ever find out if they actually own the clinics? Is this a way around the laws of the state?

I don’t know any more than what I wrote. I suspect that their ownership is through other entities. It may be something like Renal Research Institute which is also in NY.

From the Renal Research Institute website (http://www.renalresearch.com)
Formed in early 1997, as a joint venture between Fresenius Medical Care - North America and Beth Israel Medical Center, RRI is an administratively distinct institution. The institute is a collaborative effort among a selected group of dialysis facilities with strong ties to academic research institutions.

It must be legal within the laws of NY State.

[b]WellBound Teams with Kaiser Permanente to Open New Self-Care Dialysis Center in Sacramento, CA

Company Grows Total Number of WellBound Programs to Eleven[/b]

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA, October 9, 2007 – WellBound, the first company focused exclusively on providing pre-dialysis wellness education and supporting the full spectrum of self-care dialysis therapies, today announced the opening of its 11th specialized self-care dialysis center. Located is Sacramento, CA, this “Center of Excellence” will support nephrologists based at Kaiser Permanente’s Sacramento Medical Center, as well as other community nephrologists, in providing chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with early-stage wellness education in combination with innovative self-care dialysis therapies.

This opening represents an extension of WellBound’s affiliation with Kaiser Permanente. In 2005, WellBound opened a center in Emeryville, CA in collaboration with Kaiser Permanente to provide the community with more extensive CKD wellness education and specialized self-care dialysis services.*

“We are excited to be collaborating with the fine team of nephrologists at Kaiser Permanente on another WellBound center in Northern California,” said Marc Branson, WellBound’s chief executive officer. “For more than two years we have successfully teamed with Kaiser nephrologists in the San Francisco Bay Area to deliver valuable pre-dialysis patient education programs and innovative self-care dialysis therapies. Today’s new center opening will allow us to expand our reach to the Sacramento area while continuing to provide valuable clinical services to the Kaiser Permanente team.”*

Through its unique programs, WellBound delivers an innovative service offering that emphasizes patient wellness and health education. As part of its clinical model, the company provides community nephrologists with comprehensive clinical support services that are not typically found in traditional dialysis centers. Delivered by WellBound’s team of self-care dialysis professionals, the support services include:

• CKD wellness programs, including topics on controlling blood pressure, stress management, exercise, nutrition and diabetes care

• Early renal replacement education classes addressing kidney transplantation, dialysis therapy options, and vascular access planning

• Individualized training programs for all forms of self-care dialysis

• Full clinical care coordination services delivered by Certified Nephrology Nurses

• 24/7 telephonic patient care support

“At Kaiser Permanente, we are guided by our commitment to providing superior medical care to our patient community,” said Prabhakar L Kollipara, M.D., F.A.C.P., chief of nephrology Kaiser Permanente, Sacramento/Roseville. "We feel that WellBound’s combination of pre-dialysis patient education and innovative self-care dialysis treatment options provides the type of early-stage and comprehensive treatment approach that maximizes patient wellness.”

“The opening of this new center will provide CKD patients in Sacramento and the surrounding communities with access to a high-quality and unique treatment program,” said Jignesh Patel, M.D., medical director of the WellBound center in Sacramento. “This center will be particularly valuable for those CKD patients not yet requiring dialysis therapy, as they will have access to WellBound’s specialized wellness education classes. These classes, in combination with the CKD education provided by Kaiser Permanente, will assist pre-dialysis patients in maintaining their health and potentially delaying the need for dialysis therapy.”

About Self-Care Dialysis

The term self-care dialysis refers to those dialysis therapies which patients are able to self-administer outside the confines of hemodialysis centers, including peritoneal dialysis and all types of home hemodialysis. A growing collection of clinical research demonstrates that more frequent, more consistent dialysis associated with self-care provides patients with improved health outcomes such as improved mortality rates and reduced hospitalizations. Home dialysis also offers significant quality of life advantages including greater convenience, more flexible schedules, and fewer fluid and dietary restrictions.

About WellBound

WellBound is an affiliate of Satellite Healthcare, an innovative leader in the dialysis community. As the first company focused exclusively on the full continuum of self-care dialysis options, WellBound frees chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients from in-center dialysis treatment regimens by offering multiple “self-care” treatment options. The company’s unique expertise in personalized self-care training and patient wellness facilitates a higher quality of life and improved clinical outcomes for CKD patients, while enabling physicians to offer a new, superior level of care.

WellBound has established eleven “Centers of Excellence” and is actively engaged in expanding its network of self-care dialysis programs to deliver wellness education and the full spectrum of self-care dialysis options, including peritoneal dialysis and daily home hemodialysis. To learn more about WellBound, please visit http://www.satellitehealth.com/wellbound or contact the company directly at 1.800.476.5450.

[quote=Dori Schatell;14715][B]WellBound Teams with Kaiser Permanente to Open New Self-Care Dialysis Center in Sacramento, CA

Company Grows Total Number of WellBound Programs to Eleven[/B]

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA, October 9, 2007 – WellBound, the first company focused exclusively on providing pre-dialysis wellness education and supporting the full spectrum of self-care dialysis therapies, today announced the opening of its 11th specialized self-care dialysis center. Located is Sacramento, CA, this “Center of Excellence” will support nephrologists based at Kaiser Permanente’s Sacramento Medical Center, as well as other community nephrologists, in providing chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with early-stage wellness education in combination with innovative self-care dialysis therapies.

This opening represents an extension of WellBound’s affiliation with Kaiser Permanente. In 2005, WellBound opened a center in Emeryville, CA in collaboration with Kaiser Permanente to provide the community with more extensive CKD wellness education and specialized self-care dialysis services.*

“We are excited to be collaborating with the fine team of nephrologists at Kaiser Permanente on another WellBound center in Northern California,” said Marc Branson, WellBound’s chief executive officer. “For more than two years we have successfully teamed with Kaiser nephrologists in the San Francisco Bay Area to deliver valuable pre-dialysis patient education programs and innovative self-care dialysis therapies. Today’s new center opening will allow us to expand our reach to the Sacramento area while continuing to provide valuable clinical services to the Kaiser Permanente team.”*

Through its unique programs, WellBound delivers an innovative service offering that emphasizes patient wellness and health education. As part of its clinical model, the company provides community nephrologists with comprehensive clinical support services that are not typically found in traditional dialysis centers. Delivered by WellBound’s team of self-care dialysis professionals, the support services include:

• CKD wellness programs, including topics on controlling blood pressure, stress management, exercise, nutrition and diabetes care

• Early renal replacement education classes addressing kidney transplantation, dialysis therapy options, and vascular access planning

• Individualized training programs for all forms of self-care dialysis

• Full clinical care coordination services delivered by Certified Nephrology Nurses

• 24/7 telephonic patient care support

“At Kaiser Permanente, we are guided by our commitment to providing superior medical care to our patient community,” said Prabhakar L Kollipara, M.D., F.A.C.P., chief of nephrology Kaiser Permanente, Sacramento/Roseville. "We feel that WellBound’s combination of pre-dialysis patient education and innovative self-care dialysis treatment options provides the type of early-stage and comprehensive treatment approach that maximizes patient wellness.”

“The opening of this new center will provide CKD patients in Sacramento and the surrounding communities with access to a high-quality and unique treatment program,” said Jignesh Patel, M.D., medical director of the WellBound center in Sacramento. “This center will be particularly valuable for those CKD patients not yet requiring dialysis therapy, as they will have access to WellBound’s specialized wellness education classes. These classes, in combination with the CKD education provided by Kaiser Permanente, will assist pre-dialysis patients in maintaining their health and potentially delaying the need for dialysis therapy.”

About Self-Care Dialysis

The term self-care dialysis refers to those dialysis therapies which patients are able to self-administer outside the confines of hemodialysis centers, including peritoneal dialysis and all types of home hemodialysis. A growing collection of clinical research demonstrates that more frequent, more consistent dialysis associated with self-care provides patients with improved health outcomes such as improved mortality rates and reduced hospitalizations. Home dialysis also offers significant quality of life advantages including greater convenience, more flexible schedules, and fewer fluid and dietary restrictions.

About WellBound

WellBound is an affiliate of Satellite Healthcare, an innovative leader in the dialysis community. As the first company focused exclusively on the full continuum of self-care dialysis options, WellBound frees chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients from in-center dialysis treatment regimens by offering multiple “self-care” treatment options. The company’s unique expertise in personalized self-care training and patient wellness facilitates a higher quality of life and improved clinical outcomes for CKD patients, while enabling physicians to offer a new, superior level of care.

WellBound has established eleven “Centers of Excellence” and is actively engaged in expanding its network of self-care dialysis programs to deliver wellness education and the full spectrum of self-care dialysis options, including peritoneal dialysis and daily home hemodialysis. To learn more about WellBound, please visit http://www.satellitehealth.com/wellbound or contact the company directly at 1.800.476.5450.[/quote]

Hahaha, AMEN! When they opened in my hometown I was the 3rd person on the list to be trained…I must admit that they have very nicely designed clinics that really give you that home feeling…