Superior Patient Clinical Outcomes Confirms DaVita's Leadership Position on Quality Dialysis Care

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., July 7 DaVita Inc., aleading provider of kidney care services for those diagnosed with chronickidney failure and disease (CKD), significantly exceeds national averages withregard to patient quality, as validated by both the Clinical PerformanceMeasures Report published in 2006 by the Centers for Medicare and MedicaidServices (CMS), and the December 2007 Fistula First Vascular AccessImprovement Initiative. This achievement is notable among the nation's kidneycare community because DaVita(R) serves more than 1-in-4 dialysis patients inAmerica.

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"At DaVita, our highest priority is the health and well-being of the morethan 100,000 patients cared for by our professional partners and teammates,"said Kent Thiry, CEO of DaVita. "We're pleased that this commitment has onceagain been validated by the findings from CMS."

Research studies show that patients who meet all four of the CMS ClinicalPerformance Measures (CPM) and the National Kidney Foundation's (NKF) KidneyDisease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) achieve the lowest mortality.(a,b)Outcomes data confirms that the risk of mortality faced by patients dialyzedat DaVita facilities may be as much as 8% lower than the national average.

DaVita consistently surpasses national averages for CMS CPM and KDOQIoutcomes. Most recently, DaVita outperformed the national averages by as muchas 44% on four key clinical performance outcomes. A recent study that comparedthe mortality trends for the major dialysis providers found that DaVita had asignificant improvement in survival compared to non-chain facilities.(c)

"An important part of measuring and tracking our clinical performance isthrough the DaVita Quality Index, or DQI," explained Dr. Allen Nissenson,DaVita Chief Medical Officer. "The DQI focuses on the performance of seven keyclinical parameters, giving physicians a snapshot of how the patients in theirclinics are performing. We have seen a clear correlation over the past fiveyears of using the DQI that as overall DQI scores improve, overall mortalitydecreases."

"By focusing on clinical training and continuous quality improvement, weare able to partner with nephrologists," said Robertson. "As a doctor still inpractice myself, I want my patients to feel their best and enjoy their lives.DaVita's tools and teammate training help me reach these goals."

DaVita is a registered trademark of DaVita Inc. All other trademarks arethe property of their respective owners.

About DaVita Inc.

DaVita Inc., a FORTUNE 500(R) company, is a leading provider of kidneycare in the United States, providing dialysis services and education forpatients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVitamanages more than 1,300 outpatient facilities and acute units in more than 700hospitals located in 43 states and the District of Columbia, servingapproximately 107,000 patients. As part of DaVita's commitment to building ahealthy, caring community, DaVita develops, participates in and donates tonumerous programs dedicated to transforming communities and creating positive,sustainable change for children, families and our environment.

For more information about DaVita, its kidney education and its communityprograms, please visit http://www.davita.com.DaVita % Favorable Performance Indicator DaVita National Average to the National Average Kt/V < 1.2 5% (1) 9% (2) 44% improvement (lower is better) Fistula In Use 50.0% (1) 48.5% (3) 3% improvement Albumin < 3.5 g/dL 18% (1) 20% (2) 10% improvement (lower is better) Mortality 17.0% 18.6% (4) 8.6% improvement (lower is better)