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Wednesday, July 11, 2012

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Roberta Mikles BA RN

Peter, thank you for posting and following this story of importance. Kathy Day is a fantastic patient advocate who I have met and respect deeply. She has changed lives, for the better, of many patients along and through her work with Consumer's Union Safe Patient Network -

When Kathy and I first talked about this situation, fortunately, I was able to put her in touch with those who have background information that she needed for the hearing, etc. (those we have worked with, as well) - These background people have powerful information related to Davita which was presented at the hearing. It continues to be important for people to write letters in opposition to this sale - thirty days remain -
THANK YOU KATHY DAY

opinions of Roberta Mikles BA RN
www.qualitysafepatientcare.com

Kender Breitbart MacGowan

"if they are the village and Kent Thiry is the mayor, what does that make us patients?" We're Davita's cattle. their sheep, the livestock around which they make their money. I just switched from Davita to a privately held company where I do actually come first. Billing is secondary. It's nice. (BTW, I'm a long time reader and dialysis patient. Keep up the good work.)

Peter Laird, MD

Thank you Kender for your kind words. I am glad you have been able to establish a relationship with a unit where your needs are above the business practices of the executives of a large company. National Medical Care, Inc. appears to have been much in the same line as DaVita with focus on profits above patient outcomes.

They were eventually taken over by a smaller company, FMC, when they came under increased scrutiny from their practices. Greed and profiteering has a cost and most of those companies at some point are overcome by unethical business practices. We will have to wait and see where DaVita will fit in to that historical precedent.

rorabaugh

Due to neglect of a nurse at a Davita center my mother suffered during a dialysis treatment. the neglect and inappropriate treatment from a nurse, whom we learned has previous nursing disciplinary actions, my beautiful mother suffered and died at a DaVita clinic.

Peter Laird, MD

Dear rorabaugh,

I am sorry to hear of your loss. There are many working hard to correct the deficiencies seen in many of our dialysis units. Belding Scribner the father of chronic hemodialysis gave the last decades of his life to this cause. Unfortunately, the "nobel experiment" he started has not yet come to full fruition. I am hopeful it shall one day.

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