Greensburg Dialysis offers expert care for patients

Joe Hornaday
Greensburg Daily News

August 07, 2008 06:18 pm

— DaVita Inc. is a leading provider of kidney care services for those diagnosed with chronic kidney failure and disease. When the company opened the doors of Greensburg Dialysis to local patients late last year, the benefits hit the community immediately.
With 1,300 clinics in 42 states, DaVita is the largest independent provider of dialysis in the country with 100,000 patients nationwide. Currently, 10 of those patients receive their treatment from the local clinic.
But Greensburg Dialysis offers something a little different that helps cater to different lifestyles. Spearheaded by home operations director Carolyn Reiff, the clinic offers a home program for patients with specific needs of the treatment. With newer technology accompanied by smaller, easier to use machines, Reiff expects the home treatment to gain popularity.
“The benefits of that are that patients can come once a month to the clinic,” group facility administrator Shelly Fette explained.
Usually, a few trips to the clinic every month would be necessary.
“It gives them more control over their lives,” Reiff added.
The clinic’s patients have access to registered nurses, dieticians, social workers and nephrologists.
“DaVita’s mission is to provide the best outcomes,” Fette said.
Regional operations director Debbie Simmermeyer agreed with Fette.
“We pride ourselves on tohe quality of care we give our patients,” Simmermeyer said.
The clinic has twelve dialysis stations and patients can enjoy cable television, wireless internet and other amenities while receiving treatment. The women agreed that the staff performed well together.
“We’re all teammates,” Fette said. “The care we give is reflective of that.”
Fette added that DaVita is a company focused on community service as well as medical treatment. DaVita representatives have gone to educate Congress about kidney disease prevention, and others have taken medical missions in India and South America. This coming Saturday, Fette, Simmermeyer and Reiff will be attending the DaVita Kat Walks Across America. The event will highlight DaVita’s nationwide fight against kidney disease and take place in downtown Cincinnati. The walk is just another way DaVita is reaching out to communities.
In the Greensburg community, lost kidney function accompanies numerous afflictions and other diseases. When a kidney is in good shape, it maintains the body’s equilibrium of minerals, water and blood. The dialysis treatment that the clinic provides replaces some of the kidney’s functions.
While undergoing the treatment, Greensburg Dialysis goes to great lengths to make the patients feel at home and comfortable. Reiff, Fette and Simmermeyer were glad they could provide such a clinic for the people of the area. They were also optimistic about the company’s outlook and the local branch’s future in helping the people of Greensburg.
“We plan on growing with the community,” Reiff said.

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