There are currently 600,000 Americans on kidney dialysis with an additional 25 million Americans living with CKD, Chronic Kidney Disease. Another 21 million Americans have the disease, and they are walking around unaware that their kidneys are failing! Kidney Disease is significantly growing in the United States due to the increase of obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. There are over 133 million Americans who are considered obese or overweight, with an additional 54 million Americans predisposed to developing Type II diabetes, and millions of Americans who have undiagnosed and or untreated high blood pressure.

The financial impact of this disease on our society is significant and the tough decisions we are left to make require us to take pause, and reconsider our approach as to how we have traditionally delivered healthcare in this country. We have a reactionary approach to delivering care yet we struggle to understand that this is systemically a chronic issue.

I recently read an article in the USA Today written by Rita Rubin where she quotes Barry Straube, chief medical officer at the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, “25 million Americans have kidney disease, but Medicare benefits don’t kick in until patients are at the most advanced stage. Many patients with earlier-stage kidney disease aren’t treated for high blood pressure or diabetes, which cause two-thirds of kidney failures.” The article goes on to quote other distinguished and respected individuals within the renal community, J. Michael Lazarus, Fresenius’ chief medical officer, says: “Every nephrologist would love to see patients earlier. But nobody sends them. … I’ve seen them in the emergency room at the end. That’s because many rarely have seen any kind of doctor, let alone a kidney specialist.”

The article began with the following statement, which lends support to my point; The End Stage Renal Disease Program doesn’t address prevention, a major focus of the health care debate.

The key to cost reduction is patient stabilization. This can be achieved through patient education, awareness & prevention, and access to first line therapies and first line medications. The invention and use of ESA’S saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of patients including mine. It has given me the ability to successfully live with this disease because it is a part of my healthcare team’s overall medical treatment approach to stabilizing my disease. When hemoglobin is kept within the recommended 10-12 g/dl target range the patient’s anemia stabilizes to a point where they feel better and have the energy to start the long road back to rebuilding a stable and successful life with kidney disease.

One point I would like to make is that the amount of ESA I require has gone down over the years as my health has stabilized. I attribute that specifically to the combination of great anemia management and cardiovascular exercise. One of the many benefits I have seen is the reduction of hospitalizations I have experienced. (Only three times in the past nine years) People given a renal diagnosis, especially those on dialysis, can on average expect to be hospitalized 4 to 6 times per year totaling 15 days. Arguably, the costs of hospitalizations far outweigh the costs of providing first line therapies and first line medications to kidney disease patients. Should we not be focused on the true culprit?

By removing the sub10 hemoglobin metric and not reinstating it as part of the QIP we can and will see the following:

• An increase in the use of blood transfusions
• A decrease in eligible transplant patients due to blood sensitivity
• An immediate change in the stabilization of the disease
• Decreased anemia management
• An increase in co-morbid conditions due to the sedentary activity levels of patients given a renal diagnosis
• Unnecessary and extraordinary burden will be placed upon the health care eco-system (Patient/Physician/Provider) as this singular cost savings approach becomes the driving factor

Sometimes we are unable to see the forest for the trees. More and more often we find ourselves “reacting” to the national healthcare situation that presents itself. Our problems stem from the fact that we are all symptomatic to the disease, NOT the therapy. We have a responsibility to the stewardship of our healthcare dollars and the broadest possible impact those dollars can have in the delivery of life saving therapies. Without the sub-10 hemoglobin metric being reinstated as part of the QIP I am afraid that we will lose any chance of stabilizing one of the major co-morbid conditions (anemia) and ultimately the disease itself. The results will be catastrophic, as this singular approach to better managing our healthcare dollars will ultimately deliver a significant increase in Medicare expenditures.

I was left to draw on my extensive personal experiences before the invention of ESA’S while I considered both sides of the debate. I remember having to live with a hemoglobin below 10g/dl and the magnitude of blood transfusions it took to keep me alive and barely functional. These experiences have led me and my organization to take the following position regarding this issue; the sub-10 hemoglobin metric needs to be reinstated as part of the QIP.

Sincerely,

Shad Ireland- Executive Director

Shad Ireland Foundation- Impact Focused, Technology Driven

www.shadirelandfoundation.org

Philadelphia – July 21, 2011 – Pentec Health, Inc. today announced a corporate sponsorship of the Shad Ireland Take on the Tour project, a 24-month cycling endeavor by kidney dialysis patient and prominent sportsman Shad Ireland. Mr. Ireland will ride several of the toughest stages of all of the major cycling tours—including the Ultimate Challenge in Utah and USA Pro Cycling Challenge in Colorado—as well as running the New York City Marathon in order to educate and inspire patients suffering from chronic kidney disease. Pentec’s sponsorship is effective immediately through May 1, 2012.

“We are proud to support Shad Ireland with his inspiring acts of athleticism and positive attitude. Our sponsorship aligns with the Pentec Health mission to continually improve the lives of dialysis patients and provide education to their families and caregivers,” said Bob Provonche, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “Shad’s extraordinary dedication and persistence inspire other dialysis patients to pursue individual goals that they may believe are out of reach.”

A dialysis patient since the age of 10 and living without any kidneys, Ireland is the first and only kidney dialysis patient in the world to successfully complete multiple Ironman triathlons and this level of cycling. His mission is to educate and inspire others to exercise as a way to prevent kidney disease as well as obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes, which are the leading causes of the disease.

“Over 27 million Americans currently suffer from chronic kidney disease, while another 21 million remain undiagnosed. These numbers are unacceptable and we can change them,” said Mr. Ireland. “No matter what your challenge or disease, you can live a productive life. You can accomplish anything you want. With inspiration, dedication and persistence, even patients on dialysis can improve their quality of life and pursue goals that others think are impossible.”

About Shad Ireland and the Take on the Tour Project.

Shad Ireland is committed to education, prevention, and awareness about kidney disease. The Take on the Tour project is a 24-month athletic endeavor by Shad Ireland, the first kidney dialysis patient in the world to successfully complete Ironman, and to take on the sport of cycling. For more information about the Take on the Tour Project, including a calendar of cycling events, please see http://takeonthetour.com/

About Pentec Health, Inc.

Pentec Health Inc., headquartered in suburban Philadelphia, is the largest privately held specialty infusion services company in the United States. The Joint Commission has consistently awarded Pentec with a Gold Seal of Approval for their commitment to providing the highest level of patient safety and patient care for renal nutritional and specialty infusion home care services. Pentec’s renal nutrition business specializes in providing patient-specific, proprietary nutritional therapies for patients suffering from chronic kidney disease. Pentec’s specialty infusion business provides in-home care for patients with implanted drug delivery pumps treating severe pain and/or spasticity. Pentec’s award-winning executives are noted for top leadership and giving back to the communities in which they serve. For more information, visit http://www.pentechealth.com

CONTACT:
Yvonne Wright
Markitects, Inc.
484-354-2239
ywright@markitects.com