Posts Tagged ‘Dialysis’
Wednesday, December 16, 2015 | By William Tinker | No Comments
A recent Modern Healthcare website article by Lisa Schencker and Sabriya Rice deals with the ongoing investigation by the Justice Department of a DaVita Health Care subsidiary.
The False Claims Act investigation centers on the medical necessity of the procedures performed at two Florida centers that are part of RMS Lifeline, a DaVita subsidiary that provides vascular access management services for dialysis patients, according to the filing. The Justice Department has asked for medical records for 10 patients, among other documents, from January of 2008 through the present.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015 | By William Tinker | No Comments
A recent article at the website Futurism.com shed light on the progress toward an Artificial Kidney for those suffering kidney failure and presently undergoing traditional kidney dialysis.
Taken from Futurism article: Now, scientists from the University of California, San Francisco and Vanderbilt University have developed a prototype device that mimics the function of a human kidney. Amazingly, using a silicon nanofilter to remove toxins, salts, some small molecules, and water from the blood, the device, which is only the size of a cup, is designed to function without a pump or electrical power. It solely works on blood pressure.
For the whole story go to: http://futurism.com/links/goodbye-dialysis-nanotechnology-used-to-make-artificial-kidney/
Sunday, September 13, 2015 | By William Tinker | 2 Comments
Dr. Mark Davis is the author of “Irresponsible; What Surgeons Won’t Tell You and how to Protect Yourself” (2015 Amazon.com), a must read for a member of every family. Sooner or later, everyone, or a family member, will face surgery or an invasive medical procedure, such as dialysis or colonoscopy. 
Author of over 40 medical articles and several books, he will discuss how patients can empower themselves and take charge of their own treatment, by learning how best to identify a safe surgeon and a safe facility.
Continue reading “Radio Show with Dr. Mark Davis on how to protect yourself and family from infection during medical procedures.” »
Wednesday, August 13, 2014 | By arlene | No Comments
Ruben Treviso has been an energetic fighter for veterans ever since he came back from Vietnam in 1971. He’s been involved in numerous projects in Greater L.A. to honor vets in recent years.
Ruben is a TV host on El Monte TV3 dealing with Veteran’s concerns. He recently interviewed Arlene and Bill Tinker founders of Dialysis Advocates along with Reverend Robert Hoyt one of the many Dialysis Patient’s they have helped.
Reverend Hoyt, a Veteran, had been wrongly terminated from Dialysis care after questioning his level of care. He along with Arlene and Bill told viewers of the many abuses taking place in some clinics.
Treviso has become involved with the problems in Dialysis Care and is bringing this to the attention of the many contacts he has in Washington.
Show Thursday August 14
Listen on the internnet at. blogtalkradio.com/dialysisadvocates
To listen call call 347-857-3961
9;00 Eastern, 8:00 Central and 6:00 Pacific
Thursday, February 13, 2014 | By arlene | No Comments
The Anti-kickback Law was put in place to prevent Doctors profiting from referral or care of patients to any medical business they have any interest or relationship whereby they profit from that referral in any way. This covers all doctors, with the exception of Nephrologists, who are exempt; this has allowed them to profit from referrals to Dialysis clinics they are in partnership with. Where else can a Doctor refer his own patient to a clinic he is affiliated with and receive a very large sum right up front.
It’s possible that change may be in the works; once this exemption is no longer in place patients will have more freedom to change doctors and clinics as needed by their personal situation. At present Nephrologists are loath to trade or take another’s patient due to the present exemption and loss of the income from these allowed kickbacks.
Thursday, September 19, 2013 | By Scott | No Comments
Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 12:21 PM
To: Conway, Patrick H. (CMS/CCSQ)
Subject: Patients being discharged with no appeal.
Dr. Conway,
I have tried to reach you in the past. It appears that there is a trend, that has been going on for years. It has been allowing dialysis units to discharge patients for no cause, even with creative paperwork to discharge the patient unfairly. Then when a patient is discharged the patient is blackballed at any other clinic, denying them entrance. A patient is denied a transplant and used as a payback, by labeling them non-compliant…without the patients knowledge..It is a nightmare to be a patient on dialysis.
CMS promised me that they were not going to allow anymore discharges of patients unless they are violent. These Nephrologists are now dismissing them, because they can. I am getting a record number of discharges myself.
I have one currently in Nashville and have contacted CMS at the highest levels. This patient was dismissed from a Nephrologist from Vanderbilt Medical University, a co-director of Nephrology Clinical trials. Which receives Federal dollars. He is partners with Davita.
These are just some of the discharged patients that are recent, with CMS sitting on their hands. I will not insult you with the fact that the ESRD Networks are the main players in these discharges and provide the legal way to “dump” a patient. I thought they were for quality of care of the patients.
Patients speaking out on care are fearful of retaliation.
Patients discharged have no appeal process and die. CMS has been contacted on every discharge and has sat by and did nothing.
Patients are not allowed to see their charts in many clinic…
If your interested the information is below on how to reach me. I also would invite you to go on www.dialysisadvocates.com and go to patient stories and the news with the radio interviews of patients. This industry has been allowed to do pretty much as it pleases, CMS standing by silent. This is not about healthcare and the money for patient care is going to industry “bonuses”.
I am seeking help for patients getting quality of care and to have rights in these clinics. I have done thousands of complaints, with no help from CMS. It is about time to ensure patients have rights with qualified workers. It is getting where my caseload with discharged patients and abusive practices are on the rise.
Another trend is that we have had patients have full fledged strokes in clinics and the staff will not call 911, but will call the family. Infection control is another area that is costing lives and medicare money. They simply have them go to the ER for care and they are infection free.
Respectfully,
Arlene Mullin-Tinker
Dialysis Advocates LLC
Download their reply, it isn’t very comforting.
CMS_Response-09-16-13
Tuesday, September 10, 2013 | By Scott | No Comments
Please read this entire article, you’ll be shocked!
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
September 09, 2013 6:00 am • By the Editorial Board
Within 20 miles of downtown St. Louis, there are 25 centers operated by the two dominant companies in the industry, DaVita Healthcare Partners of Denver and Fresenius, based in Germany. Those companies are complaining that they are under attack by Congress, which has ordered the Obama administration to eliminate more than $500 million a year in excessive drug payments to clinics across the country.
READ MORE
Sunday, January 27, 2013 | By arlene | 1 Comment
It appears that Florida realizes the “Conflict of Interest” of dialysis centers sending patients to their very own labs, is not in the best interest of patients. I applaud them and more States and CMS (Medicare) should stand up to the self interest. The Anti-kickback and Stark Law were passed for every other Physician except Nephrologists.
Read the Courts decision!
Friday, January 25, 2013 | By arlene | No Comments
1-17-2013
Hi Arlene!
I wanted to thank you again for helping us with Phillip’s dialysis care at Davita, in Clarkston Michigan. I wanted to share with your readers our story, as well. Phillip, my husband has been on dialysis for 5 years and is very vigilant on trying to maintain his health while suffering end stage renal failure. Phillip’s story began in late 1999 when he was in full renal failure after being put on medicine for gout. This medicine created protein kidney stones that blocked his urethra and cut off the blood flow to his kidneys. Going on dialysis was definitely scary for us but after he had been placed on dialysis he had improved and started to feel better. He soon suffered a heart attack and had to have emergency Triple bypass surgery…
Continue Reading: PATIENT CONCERNS ADDRESSED IN MICHIGAN DAVITA CLINIC
Thursday, January 24, 2013 | By arlene | No Comments
DO YOU KNOW YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE A NEW DIALYSER EACH TIME YOU ARE DIALYSED?
What is reuse? Reuse is the term for using a dialyser more than once on a patient. Originally dialyser were labeled SINGLE USE ONLY, after lobbying by the industry they were relabeled for multiple use under direction of the patient’s doctor.
Why should I ask for a new dialyser? In order to reuse a dialyser it needs to be treated with chemicals then rinsed thoroughly. The chemicals used are deadly and if not completely removed before use on a patient they can lead to serious medical problems or death. You are trusting that the person handling your dialyser is fully trained in this process, not over loaded with patients, and mistake free.
Would you do this with your car? We take our vehicles in for an oil change, would you let them take off the oil-filter rinse it out and reuse it?
FRESENIUS SAYS NO TO REUSE: Fresenius dialysis care centers stopped using reuse dialyzers after questions were brought up about potential harm to patient.
Posted in a Davita reception room: If you require hemodialysis and dialyser reuse is practiced in the facility, you are entitled to the following:
* To give or refuse permission to participate in the reuse program and to request to change from one to the other at any time either verbally or in writing. Refusal to participate in reuse will still allow the patient to dialysis in this facility and receive other services, however, failure to agree to reuse will minimally restrict the choice of dialyser.”
Problems that have occurred from reuse
Mix-up, another patients dialyser used (other patient may have a contagious diseases)
Reuse dialyser not completely rinsed and chemical free (resulting in serious problems or death)
Patients who have stopped reuse have shared how much better they feel after they requested single use dialyser. Some have said they felt better almost immediately.
Its your choice, you have the power to say no to reuse.
