Renal Business Today

Practice Management

Running a dialysis clinic is a complex task for nephrologists, administrators, nurses and other renal professionals, whether they are at a corporate, independent or a joint venture clinic. Coordinating dialysis care among an increasing number of kidney disease patients, ensuring proper protocols such as infection control are in place, proper billing and coding, and keeping dialysis staff happy are a few of the challenges in dialysis practice management.

EU approves Mircera to treat anemia in CKD patients

ZURICH—Swiss-based pharmaceutical company Roche said on Thursday it plans to immediately launch its drug Mircera in the United Kingdom and Germany after the European Commission approved the drug to treat anemia in chronic kidney disease patients. ...More
July 26, 2007
Posted in News, Business, Clinical & Pharma, Practice Management
AMAG Pharmaceuticals iron therapy study meets goals

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—AMAG Pharmaceuticals Inc., formerly known as Advanced Magnetics, said July 23 that its intravenous iron replacement therapy has met all primary and secondary endpoints in a phase 3 clinical study. ...More
July 25, 2007
Posted in News, Business, Clinical & Pharma, Practice Management
National Renal adds new director of education

FRANKLIN, Tenn.—National Renal Alliance said July 24 that it has expanded its management team by adding Karen R. Pickering, RN, MSN, CNN, as the company’s director of education, which is a newly created position. ...More
July 25, 2007
Posted in News, Business, Clinical & Pharma, Practice Management
Affymax creates new VP of Research position

PALO ALTO, Calif.—Affymax Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, said July 24 that it has hired Peter R. Young, PhD, to fill the newly created position of vice president of research. ...More
July 25, 2007
Posted in News, Business, Clinical & Pharma, Government & Regulation, Practice Management
Medicare to tighten ESA claims monitoring policy

WASHINGTON—In response to safety concerns, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said today that it is tightening its erythropoiesis-stimulating agent monitoring by placing stricter payment penalties when doses exceed a certain level in dialysis patients. ...More
July 20, 2007
Posted in News, Business, Clinical & Pharma, Government & Regulation, Practice Management
FDA to scrutinize anemia drugs in Sept.

WASHINGTON—A government medical panel will meet in early September to discuss safety questions swirling around anemia drugs made by Amgen Inc. and Johnson & Johnson, according to federal document. ...More
July 20, 2007
Posted in News, Business, Clinical & Pharma, Government & Regulation, Practice Management
Part D still a challenge for kidney disease patients

ROCKVILLE, MD—End-stage renal disease patients are still experiencing significant challenges working with the Medicare Part D prescription drug program, according to a recent survey released July 18 by the American Kidney Fund. ...More
July 19, 2007
Posted in News, Business, Clinical & Pharma, Government & Regulation, Practice Management
Fresenius, RCG face lawsuit for improper billing

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Justice Department said today that it has joined a civil suit against Renal Care Group Inc. and Renal Care Group Supply Company for allegedly submitting fraudulent billing to Medicare over home dialysis supplies and equipment. ...More
July 17, 2007
Posted in News, Business, Clinical & Pharma, Government & Regulation, Practice Management
Affymax to start late-stage trials for its anemia drug

PALO ALTO, Calif.—Following recent discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Affymax Inc. said today that it is set to start phase 3 clinical studies for its anemia drug Hematide in chronic kidney disease patients. ...More
July 16, 2007
Posted in News, Business, Clinical & Pharma, Practice Management
Fresenius receives NKF-Southeast Texas award

HOUSTON—The National Kidney Foundation of Southeast Texas awarded Fresenius Medical Care North America with the 2007 Community Excellence Award for the dialysis provider’s involvement in patient-centered programs in the Houston area. ...More
July 16, 2007
Posted in News, Business, Clinical & Pharma, Government & Regulation, Practice Management