SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 15, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Satellite Healthcare, a leading not-for-profit dialysis care provider, is pleased to announce that it has joined forces with the American Kidney Fund (AKF) to award the 2016 AKF-Satellite Clinical Research Grant under AKF’s Clinical Scientist in Nephrology (CSN) Program. The program aims to improve the quality of care provided to kidney patients and promote clinical research in nephrology. The goals of the program align with Satellite’s efforts to drive applied pragmatic clinical research with near-term and widespread applicability to improve the lives of patients with kidney disease.
“We are honored to partner with Satellite Healthcare to fund one of our CSN fellowships throughout its two-year lifespan,” said Michael Spigler, vice president of patient services and kidney education at the American Kidney Fund. “Satellite’s contribution not only enhances the training of nephrologists, but fast-tracks prevention and outcomes research to more quickly impact people living with kidney failure.”
This year’s AKF-Satellite Clinical Research Grant was awarded to Anoop Sheshadri, M.D., at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Sheshadri’s research will evaluate whether a pedometer-based walking intervention can increase physical activity in patients treated with dialysis. Dialysis patients typically report very low levels of physical activity, which contributes to frailty and overall functional decline.
“We consider this landmark partnership with AKF a natural reflection of our shared passion for funding research that benefits today’s kidney patients,” said Brigitte Schiller, M.D., chief medical officer at Satellite Healthcare. “The collaboration expands Satellite’s efforts to support applied pragmatic clinical research, delivering near-term improvements to patients’ outcomes, well-being and experience during dialysis treatments and beyond.”
The fellowship continues through 2018 and information gathered will be used to inform immediate clinical applications that help dialysis patients overcome barriers to physical activity and improve quality of life.
About the American Kidney Fund:
As the nation’s leading nonprofit working on behalf of the 31 million Americans with kidney disease, the American Kidney Fund is dedicated to ensuring that every kidney patient has access to health care, and that every person at risk for kidney disease is empowered to prevent it. AKF provides a complete spectrum of programs and services: prevention outreach, top-rated health educational resources, and direct financial assistance enabling 1 in 5 U.S. dialysis patients to access lifesaving medical care, including dialysis and transplantation. For more information, please visit KidneyFund.org, or connect on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Satellite Healthcare:
Satellite Healthcare, Inc. has been among the nation's leading not-for-profit providers of kidney dialysis and related services since 1974. Through its affiliated services, Satellite WellBound, Satellite Dialysis, and Satellite Research, Satellite Healthcare provides unparalleled early patient wellness education, personalized clinical services, and a complete range of dialysis therapy choices. In addition, Satellite Healthcare has a well-recognized, enduring commitment to philanthropy and community service, from funding millions of dollars in research grants to sponsoring kidney programs nationwide. Satellite is committed to advancing the standard of chronic kidney disease care so patients can enjoy a better life.