Northwest Kidney Centers

Programs: In the year ended june 30, 2017 northwest kidney centers provided 267,961 dialysis treatments, essential to sustain the lives of people with kidney failure. We served a total of 1,732 patients. The organization provided patient care in 15 free-standing clinics and in nine (9) local hospitals, and supervised self-dialysis treatments in the homes of patients throughout the community. We spent $21. 5 million more on the care of patients with medicare and medicaid insurance than the programs reimbursed us for. In addition, we provided more than $321,000 in charity care. Northwest kidney centers' renal specialty pharmacy, a rarity in the nation, served more than 1,110 dialysis patients and kidney transplant recipients during the year. The center for dialysis innovation recently launched at the university of washington with a grant from northwest kidney centers for $15 million over five years. The mission is to revolutionize dialysis technology.

northwest kidneys centers provided nephrology fellowships for four (4) physicians to do advanced study of kidney disease and renal care at the university of washington. We aim to ensure that professional care will continue to be available for future kidney patients. We provided significant support for the kidney research institute, a collaboration between northwest kidney centers and uw medicine. As of june 30, 2017, the kidney research institute had 50 studies underway, focusing on the role of genetics, impact of lifestyle, and diabetes in kidney disease, as well as ways to improve dialysis outcomes. The kidney research institute published over 900 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals from its inception in 2008 through june 2017. Northwest kidney centers' investment in the kidney research institute had helped to leverage over $100 million in funding from the national institutes of health as of june 30, 2017.

northwest kidney centers offers free classes that help people with chronic kidney disease preserve kidney function, choose appropriate treatment, take care of a transplanted kidney and in general be an empowered partner in their kidney health care. The class program provides outreach to people who are not dialysis patients and may help them keep their kidneys healthy enough so that they never need to go on dialysis, or can delay its onset. The patient-focused, evidence-based curriculum was developed by northwest kidney centers. The most popular class, choices, offered several times each month, attracted a total of 881 attendees. In addition to its free classes, northwest kidney centers participated in 66 community health education and outreach activities, reaching a total of 13,236 people during the year.