Did you know? . Before dialysis treatment can begin, physicians must first create a “vascular access” to the patient’s bloodstream to allow the patient to connect to a dialysis machine.

We must protect them.

Vascular access centers of excellence (VACs) serve as specialized, patient-focused, centers dedicated to providing vascular access creation and preservation services in the office or ASC setting.

Fistulas are recognized as the best vascular access option for patients. Conversely, central line catheters have demonstrated high infection rates, high hospitalization rates, and high costs.

Up to 69% of patients had no vascular access plan before starting dialysis. A Vascular Access Life Plan can change that.

As the importance of fistulas became more widely recognized, non-hospital vascular access centers developed in the physician office and ASC settings to meet this clinical demand.

🇺🇸 Happy 4th of July from DVAC! 🎆 Today we celebrate freedom, community, and the fight to protect access to life-saving dialysis care. 🫀💪.Wishing you a safe and healthy holiday! #FourthOfJuly #DialysisCare #HealthcareAccess #DVAC

Patients would far prefer a free-standing ASC or physician office setting for their access care. They are convenient, focused on kidney patients, cost less, and patients pay less out of pocket.

As the importance of fistulas became more widely recognized, non-hospital vascular access centers developed in the physician office and ASC settings to meet this clinical demand.

ASCs are a safe, specialized, patient-preferred setting. VACs and ASCs are separate and distinct from centers where ESRD patients receive dialysis treatment through a dialysis machine (which acts like an artificial kidney to filter out toxins and remove excess fluid).

At hospitals, it is rarely possible to receive rapid and effective treatment due to lengthy wait times and, consequently, the use of central line catheters becomes more common. That's why we need to protect ASCs.

Physician Fee Schedule updates — capped at just 10% of the Medicare Economic Index — won’t keep pace with rising medical costs. That means less care, fewer providers in rural & underserved areas.

We applaud the House’s proposed 1.7% permanent boost to the 2026 conversion factor, but it alone won’t undo the 8% cut since 2020. We need full restoration—for patients & providers! 💉📉.

We urge the Senate to go beyond the “initial step” by addressing practice expense shortfalls. We must support independent providers, expand office-based dialysis care & improve access for patients nationwide. 🩺🤝

ASCs are needed to streamline services vital for ESRD patients, since vascular access repair must be done within a short window of time in order to avoid failure or irreparable loss of the vascular access. For many patients, mere hours matter.

Today we issued a statement on House budget reconciliation legislation. Read it below ⬇️

Did you know? . Most VACs operate as physician offices or ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) and are voluntarily accredited by nationally recognized bodies.

The average annual cost of treating patients with catheters is significantly higher – approximately $90,000 for catheters versus $64,000 for fistulas. This is just one of many reasons that fistulas are the gold standard for quality dialysis vascular access.

#DidYouKnow Patients receiving #dialysis that are treated in the office-based setting have:.4️⃣% Lower annual mortality rates than HOPD-based care.3️⃣8️⃣% Fewer infections.1️⃣3️⃣% Fewer hospitalizations.Learn more:

At hospitals, it is rarely possible to receive rapid and effective treatment due to lengthy wait times and, consequently, the use of central line catheters becomes more common. That's why we need to protect ASCs.