The IPRO End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Network of the South Atlantic has been selected as the 2020 recipient of the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) Dominick Gentile, MD, Memorial Award – an AAKP National Legacy Award.

Recognizing extraordinary services and programs that significantly benefit the kidney patient community, the award is being given to the IPRO ESRD Network of the South Atlantic for its work on the “Enhanced Patient Engagement to Improve Patient-Centered Outcomes Among Chronic Kidney Disease Project;” an AAKP-led Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Dissemination grant; its longstanding leadership in promoting the important work of the Southeastern Kidney Transplant Coalition; and its ongoing commitment to serving the kidney patient community of Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

“It is an honor for our Network staff to be selected for this prestigious award by a national, patient-led, patient-focused organization that represents the interests and needs of the renal population we are committed to serve,” says Susan Caponi, CEO of IPRO’s ESRD Network Program. “This award spotlights the excellent work of our ESRD Network program staff and the value that the ESRD Network Program brings to kidney patients across the country.”

Shannon Wright, Executive Director, ESRD Network of the South Atlantic adds, “We are thrilled to be recognized with such a highly-regarded award. We value the opportunity to collaborate with our colleagues at AAKP and members of the Southeastern Kidney Transplant Coalition to improve healthcare outcomes and experience of care for the kidney community.”

“AAKP is fortunate to have such a good partnership with IPRO ESRD Network of South Atlantic. They are a valuable resource for the patients and staffed with true professionals. Their team has contributed substantively to the success of the AAKP-lead PCORI project,” said Richard Knight, transplant recipient and President of AAKP.

AAKP patients have been heavily involved in every kidney-related research study, over seventeen funded by PCORI since its inception. Officials from PCORI are regularly involved in AAKP national meetings including the AAKP Annual Policy Summit.

AAKP, the oldest and largest fully independent kidney patient organization in the United States, is dedicated to improving the lives and long-term outcome of kidney patients through education, advocacy, patient engagement and the fostering of patient communities. AAKP fights for early detection; increased kidney transplantation and pre-emptive transplantation; full patient choice of either in-center or home dialysis; protection of the patient/physician relationship; promotion of research and innovation; and the elimination of barriers for patient access to available treatment options. The award was named in honor of Dr. Dominick Gentile (1932-1997), a Board Member of AAKP at a time when the organization was known as the National Association of Patients on Hemodialysis (NAPH), who helped conceptualize the ESRD Networks, its Medical Advisory Board, and the National Forum of ESRD Networks.

The IPRO ESRD Network of the South Atlantic is one of four ESRD Networks managed by IPRO, a non-profit organization that works with government agencies, providers, and consumers to design and implement innovative programs that improve that bring policy ideas to life. In addition to serving as the ESRD Network for the South Atlantic, IPRO manages the ESRD Network of New England, ESRD Network of the Ohio River Valley, and ESRD Network of New York.

Under the direction of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the IPRO ESRD Network Program supports the renal community in ensuring safe, effective, patient-centered care for more than 132,000 renal patients in 13 states.

Click here for the official press release.