November 5, 2004
For Immediate release
Contact: Bob Beard
(434) 982-4490
reb8e@virginia.edu
U. Va. HEALTH SYSTEM EXPANDS KIDNEY DIALYSIS SERVICES TO LYNCHBURG, AMHERST
The University of Virginia Health Systemis expanding its kidney dialysis services into the Lynchburg area by acquiring LynchburgNephrology Dialysis, Inc. (LNDI) effective Nov. 1. This acquisition will doublethe number of patients being treated at U. Va.’s dialysis units. It includes LNDI’soutpatient dialysis clinics at 103 Clifton St. in Lynchburg and at 143 Ambriar Plazain Amherst.
Lynchburg nephrologist Dr. Richard Giles will be medical director at the Amherstfacility while nephrologist Dr. Robert Lockridge, Jr. will be medical director at theLynchburg clinic. Giles, Lockridge, Dr. Lawrence Moffatt, Dr. Mohammed Ashraf, andDr. Asad Ehtesham, will continue to provide care for dialysis patients and will team upwith U.Va.’s Division of Nephrology to bring the highest quality care to kidney patientsin Central Virginia.
Patients will now be able to participate in adult and pediatric clinical trials toimprove treatment for kidney disease and receive referrals to U. Va.’s transplantprogram and other services that are not now available in the Lynchburg area.
Other enhancements to the dialysis practice include pharmacy and mail-orderpharmacy discounts for patients and improved laboratory services.
“The prevalence of kidney disease is on the rise and the additionof LNDI to the renal program at U.Va. will offer the very latest treatment advanceswith the added benefit of local convenience to kidney patients in Lynchburg and thesurrounding area,” said R. Edward Howell, Vice President and CEO of the U. Va.Medical Center.
Chronic kidney disease affects about one in nine adults in the United States. Thedisease has been on the rise mainly due to diabetes, obesity, and other factors such ashigh cholesterol and smoking.
“Our physician group looks forward to working with the U. Va. renal program toincrease research in nocturnal dialysis and chronic kidney disease,” said Dr. RichardGiles.” We feel our patients will benefit in multiple ways from this association."
The new name of the LNDI clinics will be U. Va. Lynchburg Dialysis and U. Va.Amherst Dialysis. The present facilities will become fully integrated into the Division ofNephrology at the U. Va. Medical Center in Charlottesville and into U. Va.’s renalprogram.
“We are proud to welcome the Lynchburg and Amherst facilities to the U. Va. Familyas we expand our state-of-the-art expertise to kidney patients in the Commonwealth,”said Dr. Kline Bolton, Professor of Internal Medicine and the chief of the Division ofNephrology at U. Va.
Incorporated in 1979, LNDI is one of the largest dialysis clinics in Virginia andcurrently treats about 350 patients. U. Va. currently operates six outpatient dialysisfacilities and two acute inpatient facilities, treating over 350 patients throughoutCentral Virginia.
Dialysis is a treatment for people with end stage renal disease (ESRD), defined asthe permanent loss of kidney function. It features an artificial kidney machine that helpsclean the blood by filtering toxins, restoring the bloods’ natural chemical balance. The incidence of ESRD continues to grow by about seven percent a year in the U.S.
In 1997 LNDI started the first nocturnal dialysis program in the U.S. This programis the largest in the nation and currently treats 34 patients.
Nocturnal dialysis is performed five to seven nights a week, usually at a patient’shome, and is more similar to the body’s own continuous cleansing of the blood thanregular dialysis. The nocturnal dialysis program at Lynchburg is one of ten participants inthe U.S. and Canada in the National Nocturnal Dialysis Study funded by the NationalInstitutes of Health. The study will determine whether this form of dialysis improvesoutcomes and quality of life for patients with end stage kidney disease.
“This is a very important study that could determine the way in which we dialyzepatients in the future. This NIH-sponsored clinical trial compliments the division’sinternationally-recognized NIH kidney research studies,” said Dr. Mark Okusa,Director of Research and Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology at U. Va.
The kidney disease program at the U. Va. Health System was recently ranked one ofthe top kidney programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in its 2004 editionof “America’s Best Hospitals.”
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