SAN JOSE, Calif.—Satellite Healthcare, one of the nation's first and largest providers of kidney dialysis services and a major sponsor of nephrology research, is pleased to announce that Leslie Wong, MD, vice president of clinical affairs, will lead the Quality Measures and Initiatives panel during the first National Summit on Home Dialysis Policy in Washington, DC, on March 29.

The summit brings together policymakers and delegates from patient groups, industry, and payers to identify opportunities for collaboration to improve outcomes and quality of life for patients on home dialysis.

“As the need for dialysis grows, access to regular home dialysis care that meets quality measures is critical,” Wong said. “Multiple studies in the U.S. and abroad have shown that 40 percent of dialysis patients would choose home dialysis care, yet only 8 percent access it.”

During the day-long series of round table sessions, clinicians, industry, payers, federal officials, and delegates from patient groups will assess four topics impacting local communities:

1. Education, Training, and Implementation Challenges;

2. The Impact of the National Reimbursement System;

3. Quality Measures and Initiatives; and

4. The Innovation Environment.

Dr. Wong will serve as a panel moderator and co-lead a wrap-up session at the end of the summit where federal policymakers and delegates will share insights and conclusions from the day.

Satellite Healthcare is an enthusiastic proponent of home dialysis as it can enable more productive and independent living for patients. The first Satellite WellBound center opened in 2003 with the aim of introducing more patients to home dialysis. Today, 1,000 Satellite WellBound patients participate in home dialysis care, which comprises 23 percent of its patients. Studies show that home dialysis patients generally live longer, benefit from better overall health, and enjoy a higher quality of life than patients on other methods of dialysis.

Satellite Healthcare is a sponsor of the first National Summit on Home Dialysis Policy. For more information about Satellite WellBound and its mission to educate and empower kidney patients to lead a more independent and healthier life, please visit http://www.SatelliteHealth.com.

...

Peyton Siva Sr., the father of Peyton Siva, of the Louisville Cardinals, celebrates after the Cardinals defeated the Florida Gators 72-68 during the 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball West Regional Final at US Airways Centre. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP)

The Kentucky-Louisville basketball rivalry expanded to a Kentucky dialysis clinic, when one patient struck another while arguing about the teams, authorities told ESPN.com.

The incident took place at a Georgetown clinic Monday with an argument between 68-year-old Kentucky fan Ed Wilson and Charles Taylor, a 71-year-old Louisville fan, Georgetown police Lt. Robert Swanigan told WKYT-TV.

The teams are scheduled to meet Saturday in the Final Four, and an argument began as to which team would win. Swanigan says Wilson, who was hooked up to a dialysis machine, made an offensive hand gesture at Taylor, who was waiting his turn. Taylor then punched Wilson in the face.

“He just happened to think U of L would beat UK and he started to run his mouth,” Wilson told WKYT. “That’s what started it.”

For his part, Taylor said he was discussing the game with another person.

“He was meddling,” Taylor said. “And told me to shut up and gave me the finger. I went up to him and I hit him. Didn’t hit him that hard, but I hit him.”

Charges weren’t filed, and police consider the case closed. Swanigan said he suspected some disagreements as game time approaches, but a fight at a dialysis clinic wasn’t expected.

“I think this is a first at a dialysis center,” Swanigan told WKYT-TV.

...

• Change text size for the story
• Print this story

Report an error

The Kentucky-Louisville basketball rivalry expanded to a Kentucky dialysis clinic, when one patient struck another while arguing about the teams, authorities told ESPN.com.

The incident took place at a Georgetown clinic Monday with an argument between 68-year-old Kentucky fan Ed Wilson and Charles Taylor, a 71-year-old Louisville fan, Georgetown police Lt. Robert Swanigan told WKYT-TV.

The teams are scheduled to meet Saturday in the Final Four, and an argument began as to which team would win. Swanigan says Wilson, who was hooked up to a dialysis machine, made an offensive hand gesture at Taylor, who was waiting his turn. Taylor then punched Wilson in the face.

“He just happened to think U of L would beat UK and he started to run his mouth,” Wilson told WKYT. “That’s what started it.”

For his part, Taylor said he was discussing the game with another person.

“He was meddling,” Taylor said. “And told me to shut up and gave me the finger. I went up to him and I hit him. Didn’t hit him that hard, but I hit him.”

Charges weren’t filed, and police consider the case closed. Swanigan said he suspected some disagreements as game time approaches, but a fight at a dialysis clinic wasn’t expected.

“I think this is a first at a dialysis center,” Swanigan told WKYT-TV.

...

Bad blood between University of Kentucky fans and University of Louisville fans? After what happened at a Georgetown, Ky., dialysis clinic Monday morning, one might think there’s some truth to that.

Georgetown police said two dialysis patients — one a Kentucky fan and the other a University of Louisville supporter — were at the center for appointments.

Police Lt. Robert Swanigan said the two got into an argument over Saturday’s NCAA Final Four showdown between the Cards and Cats, and one man ended up punching the other.

“We’ve had conflicting reports. One gentleman said he was struck in the face; an employee said it was the upper shoulder area. But he was struck,” Swanigan said.

Swanigan said UK fan Ed Wilson was undergoing dialysis when the trouble started. Charles Taylor, a UofL fan, began talking with a third man about the game, according to a police report.

“Apparently he (Taylor) was making some statements about who was going to win, and the other man interjected that UK was going to win,” Swanigan said. “It got a little more heated, up to the point a punch was thrown.”

According to Swanigan, Taylor punched Wilson. The fight was over by the time police arrived.

“We opened a case, but it would be up to the person who was struck to actually file charges,” Swanigan said.

“He’s indicated that’s not what he wants to happen. Both guys, I think, felt pretty bad that it had escalated to that point.”

___

...