Dialysis Crisis

In 2009 Grady Hospital closed their out-patient dialysis clinic, leaving 96 uninsured and immigrant ESRD patients without their life-sustaining dialysis treatments. Not having any other means to sustain the care for their patients, the physicians at Grady reached out to a group of community advocates, to intercede and find a solution. That group of advocates became the Advocates for Responsible Care.
 
To sustain the care of the patients, ARxC mobilized the patients into what we now call the ARxC family. We designed an innovative strategic plan to motivate community leaders and health care providers to understand the economic, social, and public-spirited advantages of contributing to the wellness of their community. We call this plan the Community Action Care Plan (CACP).
 
Go to History of the Dialysis Crisis for more information about the Grady Dialysis Crisis. 
 
Listen to WRFG's August 23, 2010 interview with Dorothy Leone-Glasser for an overview of the dialysis crisis in Georgia and how ARxC implemented the CACP to find a resolution.
 
Community Action Care Plan (CACP)
 
Our implementation of the CACP led to the development of 3 contracts between Grady Hospital and Fresenius Inc. that successfully secured continuous and regularly scheduled dialysis treatments for our patients over a span of 5 years (with the current contract expiring in 2014). We also secured indefinite “in kind” dialysis treatment for 13 patients from Fresenius Inc., DaVita, and Emory Healthcare. 
 
We continue to work with the dialysis patients and immigrant health subject matter experts from across the country to derive a means to get the patients the care they require. With the need for immigration reform, we remain hopeful this group of immigrant patients will eventually receive the right to quality health care.

ARxC designed an innovative strategic plan to sustain the care of uninsured and under-insured immigrant patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD). This approach, which we call the Community Action Care Plan (CACP), has become a best practice model that we have shared with other communities facing the challenge of finding care for marginalized populations.
 
The Plan:
- Helps stakeholders understand the community-based options for finding alternative sources of care  
- Ensures no details regarding the patients’ care are overlooked.
- Promotes accountability of all stakeholders
- Develops a professional, competent, organized, and dedicated publically-facing coalition 
 
A critical component of this plan is facilitating continuous cooperation and communication among stakeholders and generating widespread public support through the voice of the patients.
 
This best-practice template can be adopted by other community leaders to sustain specialty services for marginalized populations who have fallen through the cracks of our country’s safety net health care system. 
 
Click here for a factsheet about the CACP approach.
 
We are currently looking for funding to publish and disseminate the CACP so other advocates may learn and adopt the approach and strategies we used to secure care for the immigrant patients in our community. This cause is especially pertinent given that public funding for uncompensated care is expected to sunset as more Americans receive affordable health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, a benefit that is not afforded to undocumented immigrants. If you are interested in supporting this effort or know of others who may be interested in working with us on this project please Contact Us.
 
Coalition of Kidney Care for Non-Citizens (CKCNC)
 
The Coalition of Kideny Care for Non-Citizens (CKCNC) is a nationwide coalition of physicians, nurses, social workers, public health professionals, students, and other advocates who believe the right to health care is an internationally recognized human right due to its fundamental impact on the individual’s abilities to participate in the political, social, and economic life of society.
There are an estimated 6000 non-citizens with End Stage Renal Disease in the United States. In many instances, these patients are ineligible for scheduled dialysis treatment and kidney transplantation. Denying such standard of care treatments is both financially disadvantageous for our health care system and unethical for this population. CKCNC aspires to alleviate the disparity in care to this group of patients. 
 
ARxC is a proud member of CKCNC. Please Contact Us if you are interested in learning more about this group or if you would like to join the Coalition and our effort to provide uninsured ESRD patients the standard of care in the United States.
 
Join Us
 
ARxC needs your help in advocating for the immigrant ESRD patients and all other immigrant patients who lack access to health care. Please consider getting involved in the fight to find sustainable care.
 
1. Stay connected to the cause. Like us at Advocates for Responsible Care. Follow us at ARxC-HealthRights.
 
2. Join our army of volunteer advocates. Contact Us to learn about the opportunity to join ARxC or CKCNC as an individual advocate or an organziational partner. 
 
3. Learn more about the dialysis crisis that plagues the country. Check out our "In the News" webpage and visit our Press Room to view our library of articles, reports, media clips, advocacy alerts, and other materials related to the dialysis crisis. Stay informed about the possibility of responsible immigration reform. Go to  Reform Immigration for America for more information on immigration reform.

4. Support our efforts. Donate to ARxC to sustain our advocacy efforts. 

 

Recognition of ARxC's Efforts

- Dorothy Leone-Glasser, ARxC Executive Director was honored by Hispanic Mundo as the Untiring Fighter: Outstanding Person of 2010 for her leadership in addressing the dialysis crisis. Dorothy was also awarded the Hispanic Health Coalition of Georgia’s Latino Health Excellence Award for making a significant difference in the lives of Latino families in Georgia. 

- Haley Stolp, ARxC Associate Director, was honored at the National Summit of Clinicians for Healthcare Justice as an Outstanding Emerging Health Leader for her work on the dialysis crisis. She was also awarded the James W. Alley Award by Rollins School of Public Health in 2011 for “Outstanding Service to Disadvantaged Populations.”