Nissenson plans to focus on fostering innovation to sustain quality improvements and improved care coordination, access and choice for patients living with kidney disease

Washington, DC (Monday, Jan. 8, 2018)—Kidney Care Partners (KCP) – the nation’s leading kidney care coalition composed of patients, caregivers, providers, researchers and manufacturers – is pleased to announce Allen R. Nissenson, MD, FACP as its new chair for the 2018-2020 term. Dr. Nissenson succeeds outgoing chairman Dr. Frank Maddux, Chief Medical Officer for Fresenius Medical Care North America, who served from 2015 to the end of 2017.

“I am truly honored to have been elected by my peers to serve in this important role, and I look forward to continuing Dr. Maddux’s excellent work by advancing initiatives that drive high-quality kidney care and improve the lives of patients.”

Dr. Nissenson is Chief Medical Officer at DaVita Kidney Care and is an emeritus professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where he has served as director of the dialysis program and associate dean. Dr. Nissenson has also served as co-chair of the Kidney Care Partners Quality Initiative and the Kidney Care Quality Alliance, both of which have been instrumental in influencing best practices and developing quality measures in kidney care.

In taking the helm of the nation’s largest kidney coalition, Nissenson seeks to improve the care experience for patients living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD), which will require advances in care coordination, choice, research and innovation.

“I also want to ensure that leaders within the Congress and the Administration are aware of the progress the entire kidney care community has made over the past decade, evidenced by the notable quality improvements that have consistently improved patient outcomes,” said Nissenson. “We hope to continue our strong partnership with policymakers as we work together in achieving our mutual goals: improving quality and access for patients and removing barriers to innovation including through increased research.”

CKD is a serious public health concern, affecting up to 20 million Americans. As CKD progresses and kidney function declines,  ESRD ensues and dialysis or a kidney transplant is needed for survival. Currently, more than 636,000 patients have ESRD. The number of individuals with ESRD on dialysis is expected to double to over 850,000 over the next decade. Presently, over 100,000 ESRD patients are waiting for a kidney transplant, but, because of the limited supply of donor kidneys, only a small percentage of those waiting will receive one.

In addition to kidney disease, most CKD and ESRD patients have multiple chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension or diabetes. Managing multiple disease states—and the care plans and medications that go along with each—is an extremely daunting task for patients and their caregivers. This is why Nissenson continues to advocate for the implementation of coordinated care models, to enable a focus on addressing all of the essential health needs of this vulnerable population.

“Individuals with kidney disease require a model of care that addresses their unique needs. It is critical that our community continues to embrace patient-centered, coordinated care in order to produce the best possible patient experience and outcomes,” added Nissenson.

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More about Dr. Nissenson:  

Prior to his tenure with DaVita, Dr. Nissenson served as a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow of the Institute of Medicine from 1994–1995 and worked in the office of the late Senator Paul Wellstone. He is a former president of the Renal Physicians Association (RPA), served on the RPA Board of Directors as a special advisor to the president and is a former president of the Southern California End-Stage Renal Disease Network. He is the author of more than 700 scientific papers and the editor of two dialysis textbooks, one in its fourth edition and the other just released in its 5th edition. Dr. Nissenson earned his medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School and is the recipient of various awards, including the AAKP Medal of Excellence award, the Lifetime Achievement Award in Hemodialysis and the National Kidney Foundation “Man of the Year” award.