You've Been Diagnosed with Kidney Disease. What Happens Now?

Find your way to better care with these 4 steps.

1. Create a support team.

  • Build a relationship with your doctor and care team: At DaVita, our approach is to treat you, not just your kidney disease. Our dedicated and highly trained clinical care team works closely with a broad range of specialists to address your physical, emotional and financial needs.
  • Involve your loved ones: Help them comprehend what you are going through by talking to them about your kidney disease diagnosis.

2. Get to know your condition.

  • Attend a no-cost kidney education class: Learn about the stages of kidney disease, medications, diet and more. Find classes in a neighborhood near you or take courses online in the comfort of your home.
  • Gather information about your condition online: Get to know more about kidney disease, dialysis, nutrition and treatment with myDaVita articles so you can make the best choices.
  • Manage your kidney disease with interactive tools: Online tools range from easy-to-use meal-planning tools to calculators that measure your kidney function.

3. Continue to do what you love.

  • Learn more about your treatment options: Whether it is home dialysis or in-center dialysis, there is a treatment that works for your lifestyle.
  • Speak with an insurance specialist: Discuss how you can continue working or if you should consider taking a leave of absence. There are many things to consider that an insurance specialist can help you with, so speaking with an insurance expert can help you make a clear decision.
  • Explore your center options today: Schedule a tour of a dialysis center near your home or workplace as early as possible. Once the time comes, you may have already narrowed down the place from which you’d want to receive quality care.

4. Learn more about our approach to patient care through Our Service Standards: WE CARE.

WE CARE is a set of specific, observable behaviors that we strive to show in every patient interaction to deliver an exceptional caring experience. WE CARE stands for Welcome, Empathize, Connect, Actively listen, Respect and Encourage.

  • Welcome
    Acknowledge our patients by name and greet them with a warm, friendly smile.
  • Empathize
    Sense, share in and express care for the feelings of our patients.
  • Connect
    Learn about, remember and celebrate what personally matters to our patients; find common ground.
  • Actively listen
    Give full attention to what our patients are sharing and reiterate to confirm understanding.
  • Respect
    Acknowledge and honor the feelings, wishes, rights and traditions of our patients.
  • Encourage
    Cheer on and give support, confidence or hope to our patients.

Get better care today. Call DaVita Guest Services at 1-855-54-DAVITA (328482).

Find a Dialysis Center

Call 1-800-424-6589 now to talk to one of our placement specialists or start a search.

Learn to manage your kidney health.

Get your questions answered in a no-cost Kidney Smart® class.