AAKP & Fresenius: Advocating Flu Vaccinations for CKD Patients
Company
Offers 230,000 Flu Shots at No Charge to its Patients and Staff, While Raising
Awareness of the Risks of Flu to Vulnerable Populations
WALTHAM,
Mass. – Sept. 30, 2014 – 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.
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.
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.
About
American Association of Kidney Patients