DaVita Inc. , one of the nation's leading providers of kidney care services, recently recognized 140 dialysis centers as winners of the national Wall of Fame contest, a program aimed at uniting dialysis patients and their caregivers. Selected from DaVita's 1,300 centers across the country, the Wall of Fame winners were recognized for their outstanding commitment to highlighting individual patients, celebrating special patient events, and building a strong community among teammates, patients, and families who visit their centers.

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"Our Wall of Fame program encourages patients and teammates to go beyond treatment interaction and truly get to know each other," said Heather Wasielewski, Director of the P.E.P. Team (Patients Enriched by Partnership), which hosts the Wall of Fame program. "The process of collecting stories and special photos has lead to a deeper interaction -- and, quite often, interesting discoveries. The end result is a better understanding of one another and a heightened feeling of community at the center. In fact, we already have teammates and patients making plans for next year's Wall of Fame contest entry."

DaVita began the Wall of Fame program in 2002, seeking to encourage a stronger patient-caregiver community and increased patient engagement. The Wall of Fame is a collection of pictures and facts about teammates and patients grouped around a theme and displayed in the center. It features the unique stories and photos of the community, and makes the day brighter for dialysis patients who face a rigorous procedure several days a week. Winners were selected from hundreds of entries at DaVita centers across the nation and were judged by DaVita's Regional Operations Directors and Vice Presidents.

"Our Wall of Fame is central to how we stay connected and continue to nurture our patient-caregiver relationships," said Sharon Headrick, Facility Administrator at Table Rock Dialysis in Boise, Idaho, one of the winning centers. "Developing a sense of community is critical for morale. Our patients and teammates take great pride in our Wall of Fame, and winning the nationwide contest has created a great sense of unity at our centers."

About DaVita Inc.

DaVita Inc., a FORTUNE 500® company, is one of the largest providers of dialysis services in the United States, providing dialysis services for those diagnosed with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita, located in 42 states and the District of Columbia, manages over 1,300 outpatient centers and acute units in over 700 hospitals, serving over 100,000 patients. For more information please visit http://www.davita.com/.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: LeAnne.Zumwalt@davita.com

SOURCE: DaVita Inc.