I couldn’t be prouder today of the extraordinary, brave patients we serve and of our caring and compassionate staff who support them. This year, Central Florida Kidney Centers celebrates its 50-year anniversary with so many achievements and milestones to celebrate since we opened Metro Orlando’s first dialysis center in 1972.
Since 2019 when I was appointed as CEO, I’ve had the privilege of using my experiences as President and COO of Orlando Health Physician Associates, and COO of Aetna Health Plans to strengthen the organization with fiduciary stewardship, people-focused operations and compassionate patient care.
What’s unique about Central Florida Kidney Centers is our mission that drives us every day. Uniquely, we focus on making life-sustaining dialysis accessible to area residents who face more barriers to dialysis than others.
Here’s a Top 10 List of ways I believe Central Florida Kidney Centers makes life better for area nephrologists, their patients and families:
#1. Our 7 dialysis centers serve 500+ adults, children and their families in Orange, Osceola and Brevard Counties.
#2. Physicians can now count on a 4-hour window intake period to schedule chair time for their patients after medical and financial clearance.
#3. Our Pediatric Dialysis center re-opened this year in our downtown Orlando facility with specialized care and a fun environment with clinical and social services support – one of the few dialysis options for children here.
#4. We are making huge investments in a new medical records system that will improve the quality, efficiency and safety of patient care. With it, physicians can track and manage patient health from anywhere in real time via a web-based system. all the physician will need is access to a browser.
#5. Our Osceola Center received a 4-Star Rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. And our CMS quality improvements have risen since 2020 to reflect the quality care we give our patients every day.
#6. As one of the few area dialysis centers that provides “charity care,” we are so proud to give life-sustaining dialysis to the 90% of our patients who can’t make their co-pay or pay their annual deductible.
#7. Our North Melbourne facility has been completely re-modeled with all new dialysis equipment and a state-of-the-art water system and interior spaces. That has followed multimillions of dollars spent in strategic investments since 2020 in our facilities, people, and to ensure patients have state-of-the-art dialysis technology and the support they need to thrive.
#8. Our interdisciplinary team is putting the finishing touches on a Chronic Kidney Disease (CKC) education program to support area nephrologists and their patients in early stages of kidney disease. The goal: help patients on Medicare and Medicaid better manage their risk factors to fend off a more serious kidney conditions.
#9. Since 2017, CFKC has given 2391 patients access to life through dialysis at the lowest rates available. And, we have the capacity to serve even more patients with the support of the community.
#10. We support patients in English and Spanish with intake, nurses and social services staff to make admittance, patient experiences and documentation easier for everyone.
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Each of us are open to ideas, input and recommendations from the healthcare community, patients and their families – reach out me at dbuhring@cfkc.net.
And we’ll keep you posted on important news that may impact how all of us can improve the lives of those facing chronic kidney disease in Central Florida.
