Fresenius Medical Care Provides Uninterrupted Care for Dialysis Patients Affected by Winter Storms
Company’s Efforts Ensure Life-Sustaining
Treatments During Active Storm Season
WALTHAM,
Mass. – Feb. 18, 2014 – Just hours after Winter
Storm Pax moved out of the U.S. Southern, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states
last week, leaving behind a trail of storm damage, stranded travelers and
nearly 800,000 homes and businesses without power, Fresenius Medical Care North
America (FMCNA), the nation’s leading network of dialysis facilities, resumed
treatment for more than 15,000 patients at its 270 dialysis clinics in the
affected area.
Whenever hurricanes, winter storms or other
natural disasters strike, FMCNA takes extraordinary measures to help meet the
health care needs of kidney dialysis patients – who require treatment every two
to three days to stay alive and healthy.
This is especially important during active weather patterns, as the U.S.
has experienced this winter season.
"Our disaster preparedness strategies
are increasingly being tested as weather patterns occur with increasing variety
and complexity across the country. We are constantly being challenged to meet
the demands of our patients, employees and the ERSD community stakeholders
during these weather related disruptions,” said Babajide Salako, M.D., director
of operations support and global disaster planning.
Ahead of Winter Storm Pax, the company activated
the Fresenius Medical Care Disaster Response Team and emergency hotline. Many
patients were dialyzed in advance of the storm, and after the storm, FMCNA and
its partners immediately began implementing plans to deliver generators, fuel,
bottled water and meals to facilities and employees affected by the storm. As an integrated provider of dialysis
services and products, FMCNA’s vascular access centers, laboratory, pharmacy
and affiliated hospitals and nephrology practices, provide renal services to hundreds
of thousands of people in North America.
Throughout the event, the Fresenius Medical
Care Disaster Response Team, assisted by divisional, technical and regional
employees, worked with the Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) Coalition
and local ESRD networks to prepare for and respond to Winter Storm Pax.
FMCNA’s natural disaster response plan has
been tested and validated many times in recent years, from Hurricanes Ike and
Katrina to last year’s storms, tornados and floods.
For more information on FMCNA’s natural
disaster response efforts and important tips to help patients prepare for any
emergency, visit FMCNA’s Emergency Preparedness website.
About
Fresenius Medical Care
Through our leading network of more than
2,150 dialysis facilities in North America and our 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. We are 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, www.fmcna.com.